IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


A. 


'■/ 


% 


4 


i/.A 


1.0 

us 

I.I 

1.25 

1.4 

21 

IM 
M 

1.6 


^- 


p^ 


<? 


/] 


^;; 


cf- 


^ 


a 


c^^J 


''^ 


>  ,>^ 


1^ 


Oy^ 


/A 


Photcgraphic 
Corporation 


23  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  N.Y.  14580 

(716)  87^4503 


m 


:\ 


\ 


^<b 


V 


o"^ 


■if^ 


CIHM/ICMH 

Microfiche 

Series. 


CIHM/ICMH 
Collection^  de 
microfiches. 


Canadian  Institute  for  Historical  IVIicroreproductions  /  Institut  Canadian  de  microreproductions  historiques 


?* 


Technical  and  Bibliographic  Notas/fMotas  tachniquas  at  bibiiographiquas 


Tha  Institute  has  attamptad  to  obtain  tha  bast 
original  copy  available  for  filming.  Features  of  this 
copy  which  may  be  bibliographically  unique, 
which  may  alter  any  of  the  images  in  tha 
reproduction,  or  which  may  significantly  change 
the  usual  method  of  filming,  are  checked  below. 


D 


Coloured  covers/ 
Couverture  de  couleur 


I      ^1    Covers  damaged/ 


D 


Couverture  endommag^e 


Covers  rastored  and/or  laminated/ 
Couverture  restaur^e  et/ou  pelliculie 


I      I    Cover  title  missing/ 


n 


D 


Le  titra  da  couverture  manque 

Coloured  maps/ 

Cartes  gdographiquas  en  couleur 

Coloured  ink  (i.e.  other  than  blue  or  black)/ 
Encre  de  couleur  (i.e.  autre  que  bleue  ou  noire) 


I      I    Coloured  plates  and/or  illustrations/ 


D 


Planches  et/ou  illustrations  en  couleur 


Bound  with  other  material/ 
Relii  avac  d'autras  documents 


Tight  binding  may  cause  shadows  or  distortion 
along  interior  margin/ 

La  re  liure  serrie  peut  causer  de  I'ombre  ou  de  la 
distorsion  ie  long  do  la  marge  int^riaure 

Blank  leaves  added  during  restoration  may 
appear  within  the  text.  Whenever  possible,  these 
have  been  omitted  from  filming/ 
II  se  peut  que  certaines  pages  blanches  ajouties 
lors  d'une  restauration  apparaissent  dans  le  texte. 
mais,  lorsque  cela  itait  possible,  cas  pages  n'ont 
pas  iti  filmies. 

Additional  commenti:/ 
Commentaires  suppl6mentaires: 


L'lnstitut  a  microfilm^  le  meilleur  exemplaire 
qu'il  lui  a  it6  possible  de  se  procurer.  Las  details 
de  cet  exemplaire  qui  sont  peut-dtre  uniques  du 
point  de  vue  bibliographique,  qui  peuvent  modifier 
une  image  reproduita,  ou  qui  peuvent  exiger  una 
modification  dans  la  mithode  normale  de  filmage 
sont  indiqu6s  ci-dessous. 


I      I   Coloured  pages/ 


Pages  de  couleur 

Pages  damaged/ 
Pages  endommagies 

Pages  restored  and/oi 

Pages  restaurdas  et/ou  pellicui^es 

Pages  discoloured,  stained  or  foxe< 
Pages  d^colories,  tacheties  ou  piqudes 

Pages  detached/ 
Pages  d^tachdas 

Showthrough/ 
Transparence 

Quality  of  prir 

Qualiti  inigale  de  I'impression 

Includes  supplementary  mataric 
Comprand  du  materiel  supplimentaire 

Only  edition  available/ 
Seule  idition  disponible 


I      I    Pages  damaged/ 

I      I    Pages  restored  and/or  laminated/ 

r~>  Pages  discoloured,  stained  or  foxed/ 

I      I    Pages  detached/ 

I     T^howthrough/ 

I      I    Quality  of  print  varies/ 

r~|    Includes  supplementary  material/ 

I      I    Only  edition  available/ 


D 


Pages  wholly  or  partially  obscu'ed  by  errata 
slips,  tissues,  etc.,  have  been  refilmed  to 
ensL^re  the  best  possible  image/ 
Las  pages  totalement  ou  partiellement 
obscurcies  par  un  feuillet  d'errata,  une  pelure, 
etc..  ont  iti  filmies  d  nouveau  de  facon  i 
obtenir  la  meilleure  image  possible. 


This  item  is  filmed  st  the  reduction  ratio  checked  below/ 

Ce  document  es:  filmi  au  taux  de  rMuction  indiqui  ci-dessous. 

10X  14X  18X  22X 


18X 


12X 


16X 


20X 


26X 


30X 


24X 


28X 


32X 


The  copy  filmed  here  has  been  reproduced  thanks 
to  the  generosity  of: 

Metropolitan  Toronto  Library 
Canadian  History  Department 

The  images  appearing  here  are  the  best  quality 
possible  considering  the  condition  and  legibility 
of  the  original  copy  and  in  keeping  with  the 
filming  contract  specifications. 


L'exemplaire  film6  fut  reproduit  grflce  A  la 
g6n6rosit6  de: 

Metropolitan  Toronto  Library 
Canadian  History  Department 

Les  images  suivantes  ont  6tii  reproduites  avec  le 
plus  grand  soin,  compte  tenu  de  la  condition  at 
de  la  nettet6  de  l'exemplaire  film6,  et  en 
conformity  avec  les  conditions  du  contrat  de 
filmage. 


Original  copies  in  printed  paper  covers  are  filmed 
beginning  with  the  front  cover  and  ending  on 
the  last  page  with  a  printed  or  illustrated  impres- 
sion, or  the  back  cover  when  appropriate.  All 
other  original  copies  are  filmed  beginning  on  the 
first  page  with  a  printed  or  illustrated  impres- 
sion, and  ending  on  the  last  page  with  a  printed 
or  illustrated  impression. 


The  last  recorded  frame  on  each  microfiche 
shall  contain  the  symbol  -^{meaning  "CON- 
TINUED"), or  the  symbol  V  (meaning  "END"), 
whichever  applies. 

Maps,  plates,  charts,  etc.,  may  be  filmed  at 
different  reduction  ratios.  Those  too  large  to  be 
entirely  included  in  one  exposure  are  filmed 
beginning  In  the  upper  left  hand  corner,  left  to 
right  and  top  to  bottom,  as  many  frames  as 
required.  The  following  diagrams  illustrate  the 
method: 


Les  exempiaires  originaux  dont  la  couverture  en 
papier  est  imprimis  sont  fil.Tids  en  commen^ant 
par  le  premier  plat  et  en  terminant  soit  par  la 
dernidre  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'illustration,  soit  par  le  second 
plat,  selon  le  cas.  Tous  les  autres  exempiaires 
originaux  sont  film6s  en  commenpant  par  la 
premidre  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'illustration  et  en  terminant  par 
la  dernidre  page  qui  comporte  une  telle 
empreinte. 

Un  des  symboles  suivants  apparattra  sur  la 
dernidre  image  de  chaque  microfiche,  selon  le 
cas:  le  symbole  -^  signifie  "A  SUIVRE",  le 
symbols  V  signifie  "FIN". 

Les  cartes,  planches,  tableaux,  etc.,  peuvent  6tre 
filmds  d  des  taux  de  reduction  diff6rents. 
Lorsque  le  document  est  trop  grand  pour  dtre 
reproduit  en  un  seul  clich6,  11  est  film6  d  partir 
de  Tangle  supdrieur  gauche,  de  gauche  it  droite, 
et  de  haut  en  bas,  en  prenant  le  nombre 
d'images  ndcessaire.  Les  diagrammes  suivants 
illustrent  la  mdthode. 


1 

2 

3 

1 

f* 
t^ 

3 

4 

5 

6 

%- 


■PJ(..i",i;i  miiiiMi.i 


% 


T~ 


GOD*S  VISITATION  OF  SINFUL  NJTimS.^      .  :^\  ^ 


TWO 


SERMONS, 


?^5a-l> 


DELIVERED  IN  COLRAIN^ 


f.'^ 


O^t  THE  PUBLIC  FAST,  JULY  23^ 


AND  AFTERWARDS  IN  SHELBURNE, 


AUGUST  20,  1812  : 


* 


By  SAMUEL  TAGGART,  A.  M. 

Pastor  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  in  Colrain, 


§ 


'Published  bt  revest. 


GREENFIED, 


'    'PRISTED'NBY    DENIO   AND    friELPS, 


i8is. 


#-  • 


;* 


"^  VA-^^^^ 


ADVERTISEMEOT. 

Thefe  difcourfes  were  compofeH  about  eleven  months  ago,  without  any  ref- 
erence to  the  particular  occafion  on  which  they  were  delivered,  and  without  a- 
ny  fixed  purpofe  of  delivering  them  on  any  occafion  :  This  is  a  reafon  why 
the  particular  occafion  of  the  public  fafts  is  fo  little  alluded  to.  They  are  pub- 
lifhed  from  the  copy  originally  prepared  without  any  other  alteration  than  fome 
verbal  connexions  and  what  is  inferted  in  the  notes.  They  have  occafioned 
fome  fpeculations,  and  feveral  mifreprefentations  have  gone  abroad.  They  are 
now  publifhed  that  they  may  fpeak  for  themfelves.  All  that  1  can  fay  of  the 
remarks  which  may  appear  a  Utile  out  of  the  common  road,  is,  that  they  were 
written  under  the  moft  entire  convidtion  of  their  truth.  The  reafon  why  the 
publication  has  been  fo  long  delayed,  has  been  that  the  manufcript  from  which 
they  are  printed,  was  out  of  my  reach,  and  only  came  into  n:y  hands  this  day. 
Colrain,  September  i8,  if'    >. 


.0 


'{ 


SERMON    I. 


ut  any  ref- 
without  a< 
eafon  why 
ey  are  pub- 

than  fome 
occaiioned 

They  are 
fay  of  the 
they  were 
on  why  the 
Tom  which 
this  day. 


Jes.  5,  xsix.—S/jall  I  not  visit  for  these  things  saith  the  Lord  > 
bball  not  my  soul  be  avenged  on  such  a  nation  as  this  ? 

.,llL  7*!^**  '°'  u  ^  .«he  prophet  Jeremiah  to  be  raifed  up  and 
called  to  the  prophetic  office  in  a  very  degenerate  aee  The 
floods,  as  well  of  idolatry  as  vice,  with  which  .he  narion  had 
been  inundated,  during  a  long  reign  of  a  cruel,  wicked  and 
.do  atrous  Manaffeh,  had,it  is  t!ue,?eceived  a  teniporary  checl, 

nfoLs  MiT'ff  r'^^T'"^  endeavours  of  a  virtuous  and 
pious  Johah  to  effea  a  reformation.  Apoftacy  had  however 
taken  fuch  a  deep  root,  that  altho'  the  current  of  defeftion 

authority,  yet  it  does  not  appear  that  the  body  of  the  nation 
ever  concurred  heartily  in  that  reformation.  Hence  i"  was 
that  nearly  all  its  good  fruit*  and  efflcts  difappeared  as  foon 
nrnT  M  ^'S.^'^^J^te  offspring  mounted  the  throne.  The 
prophet  Jeremiah  being  himfelf  a  witnefs  to  this  awful  pro- 
grels  m  the  road  to  ruin,  was  frequently  fent  both  to  thp  rul- 

thL':ifh"'\"''r  ^">  ^''^'^  '''^^"Ss-  It  does  not  appear 
that  either  his  denunciations  of  impending  vengeance,  or  his 
pathetic  exhortations  to  repentance  and  reformation,  were 
accompanied  with  any  remarkable  fuccefs.  Bv  his  faithful 
nefs  he  roufed  the  indignation  of  a  profligatf  Lu  ,  and  ^i^ 
equally  profligate  people,  againft  himfelf,  and  becam^  the  vie 
tim  of  a  moll  cruel  and  unrelenting  perfecution,  by  which  hi» 

Unhke  thofe  prophets  who  foretold  things  which  were  not 
to  come  to  pafs  until  after  the  lapfe  of  many  ages,  he  lived  to 
witnefs  the  accomplifliment  of  fo'me  of  his  moft  important 
predidions  in  the  adual  deftruftion  of  Jerufalem  and  the 
femple,  the  flaughter  and  captivity  of  the  principal  part  of 
lanV"  ^        '^'  °^  ^°^"^  defolation  '>t  the  whole 

God  was  the  political  King  and  Lawgiver  of   the  Jewifh 
nation,  in  a  fenfe  which  was  peculiar  to  that  people.     We  can 
not  therefore  find  any  other  nation  whofe  fuuation  is,  in  all 
refpecls,  parallel  to  that  of  the  Jews.     But  altho'  there  is  a 


i.,l 


.^' 


difference  in  many  refpeas,  yet  it  will  P^rhaps  be  Icarcely  pol^ 
fihU  to  find  anv  other  nation  between  whofe  Utuation  ana 
fw  of  the  Jewl  there  are  more  points  of  refeniblance  than  m 
ha  of  the  United  States.      To  trace  that  refemblance    by 
takne  a  review  of  the  hiftory  of  thefe  States,  and  comparing 
k  wUh  that  of  the  Jews,  woild  lead  to  difcnffioiis  foreign  to 
mv  nrefent  purpofe.      But  altho'  there  fhould,  in  many  ref- 
ne^afbe  a  d^ffimilarity  in  our  fituation,  there  is  M  a  refem- 
blatc'e    not  only  between  them  and  us,  but  between  them 
and  a  1   other    nations,   in   this   leading  feature   of    their 
refneaL  fituations,  i.e.  That  every  nation  is  under  the 
wE  care  of  providence,  and  will,  in  the  r  nationd  capac- 
1    b^rewarded^or  puniOied  according  to  their  condua,  m 
proportion  to  the  advantages  for  religious  and  moral  improve, 
ment  which  they  enjoy.    In  that  remarkable  paffage  of  holy 
writ  which  we  have,  JeR.  18,  vii-x,  there  is  no  reftriaion 
7ok7ht  or  to  any  particular  nation.     It  is,  Jt  ■what  mtant 
1  shall  speak  concerning  a  nation  or  concerning  a  kingdom,  i}-^-f°^- 
cernin-  any  nation  or  any  kingdom)  to  pluck  uf,  to  pull  down 
VndTode/lL  it.     If  that  nation,  against  -whom  I  have  pronounced, 
Urnfrmtlir  eJ,  I  ^U  repent\f  the  evil  that  1  thought  to  do 
unto  thZ.     And  a  what  instant  I  shall  speak  concernmg  a  naUon, 
7ld  concerning  a  kingdom,  to  build  and  to  plant  it  ;  >f,t  do  ev.mmy 
skh    That  it  obey  mf  my  voice,  then  l-will  repent  of  tbegoodihatl 
slid    would  belfit  them.     Agreeable  to  this   declaration  has 
been  thtufual  condud  of  providence  in  every  age      Nations 
have  been  raifed  up  from  time  to  time,  and  foftered  with  the 
moft  indulgent  care  of  heaven.     They  have  been  afterwai^s 
ftverely  "Greeted  for  their  fins,  and  had  their  nam^  final  y 
bSout  from  among  the  nations  of  the  earth    .^^" '  "> 
be  viewed  in  a  two-fold  capacity.    Rrft  as  an  individual  ph^- 
ed  in  this  world  in  a  ftate  of  trial,  as  a  candidate  for  an  im- 
mom  itv  ot  either  happinefs  or  mifery-and  2dly.  as  a  con- 
touen  Lumber  of  civil  fodety,  or  as  belonging  to  a  part.c 
ur  kingdom,  nation  or  body  politic      As  it  ref^fts  man  as 
an  individual,  his  fituation  is  undoubtedly  in  the  firftpont  of 
v"ew  the  moft  important.      Our  time  in  this  world  ^s  but 
fliort,  and  aU  are  rapidly  haftemng  to  an  untried  ft^^/  o*  ^^t 
ittence,  where  we  mull  appear  before  the  3»dg>f «'  ^f  °* 
CJhriftj  to  give  an  actouu".  or  5.iiw  aw-«b  «u.ic  4*4  »-"*«  ^w  ^ 


r 


ely  pol- 
on  and 
than  in 
nee,  by 
nparing 
reign  to 
any  ref- 
a  refem- 
;n  them 
)f    their 
ider  the 
lal  capac- 
jducl,  in 
improve- 
!  of  holy 
eftridion 
)at  instant 
(i.  e.  con- 
pull  down^ 
ronounced, 
mght  to  do 
g  a  nation^ 
0  evil  in  my 
good  that  I 
ration  has 
Nations 
d  with  the 
afterwards 
lies  finally 
Man  is  to 
i^idual  plac- 
for  an  im- 
\  as  a  con- 
to  a  partic- 
eds  man  as 
irft  point  of 
orld  is  but 
ftate  of  ex- 
ent  feat  of 
Le  body.  Sq 


extenfive,  ftricl:,  and  accurate,  will  be  this  fcrutiny,  that  cvc 
ry  work  muft  be  brought  into  judgment,  and  every  (ccret 
thing  that  men  do,  whether  it  be  good  or  evil  ;  and  every 
man  will  be  rewarded  according  to  his  works.      God   is  alio 
to  be  confidered  as  the   judge  of  kingdoms  and  nations,  as 
well  as  of  individuals,  only  with  this  difference,  that  the  pe- 
riod of  retribution  for  the  latter,  will  be  after  the  clofe  of  the 
prefent  fccne,  and  the  full  mealure  of  rewards  and  punifh- 
ments   will  be  difpenfed  in  a  future  world,  whereas,  on  the 
other  hand,  nations  as  fuch,  or  in  their  national  capacity,  arc 
ludffed  and  their  rewards  and  puniftiments  difpenfed  in  the 
prefent  flate.    This  world  is  the  only  theatre  on  which  na- 
tions exifl.      Here  they  are  either  built  up  or  pulled  down, 
exalted  to  a  ftate  of  national  profperity,  or  corrected  and  pun- 
iftied  by  fevere  chaftifements.     Thefe  national   clamities  are 
fometimes  inflicted  for  their  good,  but  at  others  for  their  ex- 
tinaion  from  the  lift  of  nations.      Righteousness  exaltclh  a  na- 
tion, but  sin  (particularly  national  fin)  is  the  reproach  to  any  people. 
The  prophet  Jeremiah,   as  well  in  this  chapter  as  in  many 
other  parts  of  his  prophecy,  gives  an  affeding  and  melancholy 
pidure  of  the  corruption  and  degeneracy  of  the  Jews.     Ihis 
degeneracy  confifted  of  two  branches  ;  which  have  not  only 
a  natural  but  a  neceffary  connexion  together  ;  viz.     In  an 
apoftacy  from  the  principles  and  pradlce  of  the  true  religion, 
by  adopting  the  idolatrous  cuftoms  of  the  lurrouncung  na- 
tions,  and  in  the  awful  prevalence  of  almoft  every  fpccies  of 
immoraUty.     This  ihe  prophet   paints  in  glowing  colours, 
chap.   2,  xiii.     For  jny  people  have  cGmmitted  two  evils ;  they  ha%-e 
forsaken ' Ue.the  foiin.. ' "  t  uf  llvhig  "paters,  and  iH-.ved  them  oid  cis^ 
terns,  broken  cisterns,  that  can  hold  no  water,      lor  thcle  things 
God  threatens  them  with  his  difpleafure,  the  fruits  of  which 
they  foon  after  lo  feverely  experienced.      The  words  of  the 
text  are  twice  repeated  in  this  chapter,  viz.  vcr.  ix  &  xxix,  to 
Ihow  that  this  vifitation  and  vengeance  were  both  certain  and 
neceffary  in  the  nature  of  things.     Shall  not  wy  soul  be  avenged 
on  such  a  nation  as  this  ?  The  vifitation  here  threatened  was  a 
national  vifitation,  and  the  fins  fir  which  they  were  to  be  vi- 
fited  were  national  iins.      For  the  farther  illuftration  of  the 
(ubjed,  I  ihall 


'  i 


1- 


n 


OftcT  Ibine  general  remarks  on  God's  vifitation  of  fin- 
ful  nations,  and  the  manner  in  which  he  vifits  them. 

2.  I  fhall  notice  feveral  traits  in  our  national  character 
which  go  to  fhow,  that  we  are  fuch  a  nation  as  has  juft  rea- 
fon  to  dread  the  righteous  vifitations  of  heaven. 

1ft.  I  am  to  make  fome  general  remarks  on  Gv)d*s  vifita- 
tion of  iinful  nations,and  the  manner  in  which  he  vifits  them. 

When  mention  is  made  in  the  facred  oracles,  of  G.^d's  vifit- 
ing  either  an  individual  or  a  nation,  the  term  is  not  always  to 
be  underftood  in  the  fame  fenfe.  The  term  to  vifit  is  indif. 
criminately  applied  to  acts  of  judgment  and  of  mercy.  In 
many  inftanccs  it  means  the  fame  as  the  performance  of  a 
mercy  promifed,  but  in  others  it  means  the  inflidion  of  a  pre- 
vioufly  threatened  judgment.  The  places  of  fcripture  in 
which  the  term  is  ufed  in  both  thefe  fenfes  are  too  numerous 
to  particularize.  A  few  however  may  be  briefly  noticed.— 
God  ivill  surely  visit  you  ;  (i.  e.  in  order  to  perform  the  mercy 
promifed  to  your  Fathers,  in  delivering  you  out  of  this  land) 
and  ye  shall  carry  up  my  bones  from  hence^  fays  dying  Jofeph  to 
his  liirrounding  brethren.  What  is  man  that  thou  shouldst  visit 
him  every  morning  ?  fays  Job.  0  God  of  hosts  look  down  from 
Heaven,  and  visit  this  vi?ie  and  the  vineyard  which  thine  own  right 

hand  hath  planted.  -    0  visit  me  with  thy  salvation Pfalmift. 

Ihe  coming  of  Chrift  is  alfo  called  a  vifitation  and  redemp- 
tion of  Goij's  people.  Blessed  be  the  Lord  God  of  Israel,  for  he 
hath  visited  and  redeemed  his  people.'^Luke  1,  Ixviii.  The  day 
spring  from  on  high  hath  visited  «i.— -Ver.  vxxviii.  But  in  many 
places  God's  vifiting  a  people  is  the  fame  with  his  inflifting  a 
threatened  punifhment.  I  the  Lord  am  a  jealous  God,  visiting 
the  iniquities  of  the  Fathers  upon  the  Children,  fays  Jehovah  him- 
fclf.  And  again.  In  the  day  when  I  visit,  I  will  visit  tk  ir  sin 
upon  them.  He  vifits  his  people's  iniquities  with  a  rod,  and 
then- tranfgreilions  with  Itripes.  All  afflictive  difpenfations  of 
providence,  whether  more  or  lefs  fevere,  may  be  confidered 
as  God's  vifitations.  It  plainly  appears,  from  its  connedion 
with  vengeance,  that  this  is  the  fenle  of  vifiting  in  the  text. 
It  was  a  correclion,  and  one  of  the  fevereft  kind,  which  was 
threatened. 

The  way-i  in  which  God  vifits  offending  nations,  either  for 


en, 


of  fin- 

lara^ler 
lift  rea- 

}  vifita- 
5  them. 
I's  vifit- 
vays  to 
s  indif' 
y.  In 
:e  of  a 
f  a  pre- 
ture  in 
merous 
iced. — ' 

mercy 
is  land) 
feph  to 
dst  visit 
m  from 
vn  right 
Talmift. 
edemp- 
l^for  he 
The  day 
n  many 
ifting  a 

visiting 
ill  him- 
thi  ir  sin 
)d,  and 
tions  of 
ilidered 
nedion 
(le  text, 
ich  wa3 


' 


correction  or  feverer  punifliment  are  various;.      Sometimes 
he  punifhes  by  wars,  which,  notwithftanding  all  their  power 
and  preparations,  are,  by  the  immediate  interpolition  of  heav- 
en, rendered  unfuccefsful.      The  race  is  not  always  to  the 
iwift,  nor  does  victory  uniformly  fall  to  the  lot  of  the  appa- 
rently moft  powerful.     It  has  not  been  an  uncommon  event, 
for  one  nation  to  be  crufhed,  and  to  fall  under  the  dominion 
of  another  people  apparently  much  lefs  powerful  than  them- 
felves,  ef[>ecially  when  God  delivers  them  into  the  power  of 
their  enemies,  as  he  did  the  Jews  into  the  hands  of  Nebuchad- 
nezzan      God  frequently  in  this  way  vifited  the  children  of 
Ifrael,  as  well  for  their  idolatry  as  their  other  vices.     The  pcf- 
tilence  is  alfo  another  weapon  whereby  God  frequently  pun- 
ifhes offending   nations.      This  has  proved  fometimes  more 
and  fometimes  lefs  extenfive.     In  this  way.  He  feveral  times 
punifhed  the  children  of  Ifrael  in  the  wildernefs,  particularly 
when  they  tranfgrefled  fo  grievoufly  in  the  affair  of  the  Gokl- 
en  Calf ;  in  the  matter  of  Peor,   and  when   he  fent  quails  to 
gratify  their  luftings,  and  with  them  fent  the  plague  to  pun- 
ifh  their  murmurings,  and  many  of  the  people  perifhed.     In 
this  way  he  alfo  punifhed  David's  fin  in  numbering  the  peo- 
f)le.      Sometimes  alfo  He  vifits  offending  nations  by   famine, 
by  fending  cleannefa  of  teeth  in  all  their  dwellings,  and  want 
of  bread  in  all  their  habitations.     God  has  many  ways  to  ef- 
fect this,  as,  by  withholding  the  former  and  latter  rain  in  their 
feafon  j   by  making  the  heaven  over   their   head  iron,   the 
earth  brafs,   and  the  rain  of  the  land  powder  and  dutl  ;  by 
unfeafonable  rain,   hail  and  ilormy  winds  ;   by  blafting  and 
mildew  ;  by  the  caterpillar  and  locuft,  which  are  God*s  ar- 
my,  or  by  earthquakes',  inundations,  and  fiery  eruptions. — 
Thefe  and  many  other  phenomena  of  nature  are  all  obedient 
to  the  divine  will,  and  God  can  ufe  them  either  for  the  cor- 
redion  or  deftrudion  of  a  guilty  nation.     In  this  way  he  once 
vifited  Ifrael,   in  the  days  of  David,   and  flill  more  feverely, 
during  the  reign  of  Ahab,  when  there  was  no  rain  upon  the 
land  for  the  fpace  of  three  years  and  fix  months.       The  pro- 
phet Jeremiah  was  once  a  witnefs  to  a  fevere  correction  of  this 
kind,  the  confequences  of  which  he  paints  in  fuch  alFecling 
colours  in  the  14th  chapter  of  his  prophecy. 


ther  for 


H: 


il 

il 


i 


8 

Even  thole  inlUtutions  which  are  in  themfelves  calculated 
for  the  good,  the  happincfs,  and  the   profpcrity  of  nations, 
when  perverted  from  their  original  defign,  become  in  God  s 
hiMid,  the  inftruments  of  chaftifement,  and  even  of  ven'];eance. 
We  may  notice  as   one  inftance  of  this  kind,   the  ordmance 
of  civil  government.     Unlefs  it  is  where  there  is  violent  per- 
verting of  juftice  in  a  nation,  rulers  are  the  minifters  of  God 
for  good,  and  a  terror  only  to  evil  doers.     Nothing  can  be  a 
greater  temporal  blefling  to  a  nation,  than  wife  and  virtuous 
rulers.     On  the  other  hand,  not^^ii.g  can  be  a  greater  fcourge 
than  wicked  men  when  inverted  with  great  power.    While  the 
righteous  are  in  authority,  the  people  rejoice  ;  but  when  the  wicked 
hear  rule  the  people  mourn.     When  the  Queen  of  Sheba  beheld 
the  wifdom  and  equity  with  which  Solomon  adminiftered  the 
government,  (lie  exclaims,  Becaufethe  Lord  loved  Ifrael  forevery 
)  here  fore  made  He  thee  King  to  execute  judgment  andjujiice.^  What 
a  ric  h  blefllng  did  God's  antient  people  find  in  the  admimltra- 
tion  of  Mofes,  Joihua,  David,  Solomon  in  the  early  part  of 
his  reign,  Hezekiah,  Jofiah  and  others  ?     On  the  other  hand 
how  many  nations  do  we  find  groaning  under  the  hand  of  al 
cruel  unrelenting  defpotifm  ?     Indeed  it  is  probable  that  by 
far  the  greateft  part  of  the  human   race,  inftead  of  enjoymg 
theblefling   of  a  government   confulting  the  happinefs  and 
profperity  of  the  nation,  are  at  this  moment  bound  down 
under  a  defpotifm  which  is  rather   a  curfe  than  a  bleffing.— 
Both  weak  and  wicked  rulers  are  a  curfe  to  a  nation,  and  as 
fuch  they  are  frequently  the  fubjeds  of  complaint  in  the  fac- 
red  oracles.      Woe  unto  thee  0  Land,  when  thy  king  is  a  child. 
Thy  princes  are  rebellious,  and  companions   of  thieves.     Every  one 
loveth  gifts  andfolloweth  after  rewards.      They  judge  not  the  fath- 
erless, neither  doth  the  cause  of  the  Widow  come  unto  them.    That 
they  may  do  evil  with  both  hands  earnestly,  the  Prince  asketh  and 
the  Judge  asketh  for  a  reward,  and  the  great  man  he  utter eth  his 
mischievous  desire,  so  they  wrap  it  up.     The  best  of  them  is  as  a 
briar,  and  the  most  upright  of  them  is  sharper  than  a  thorn  hedge. 
But  great  as  was  this  calamity,  the  prophet  Micah  confiders 
it  as  infliaed  on  himfelf,  and  on  his  nation  by  the    hand  of 
God,  and  as  fuch,  he  refolves   to  bear  it  with  patience,  fay- 
ing, /  will  bear  the  indignation  of  the  Lord,  because  I  have  sinned 


•■-««tfffs<''"jwir*»"-  ••" 


ilculated 
nations, 
in  GoD*s 
n'i;eance. 
rdinance 
lent  per- 
5  of  God 
can  be  a 
virtuous 
r  fcourge 
While  the 
he  wicked 
Da  beheld 
[lered  the 
el  for  every 
ce.  What 
iminiftra- 
y  part  of 
her  hand 
hand  of  ai 
le  that  \yf 
enjoying 
pinefs  and 
ind  down 
)leffing. — 
in,  and  as 
in  the  fac- 
is  a  child. 
Every  one 
ot  thefath' 
lem.    That 
asketh  and 
ittercth  his 
hem  is  as  a 
born  hedge, 
.  confiders 
;    hand  of 
ience,  fay- 
have  sinned 


ti^aimt  Him,  un^Il  He  phad  my  cause  and  execute  judgment  for  me, 
Altho*  the  dc{lj;n  of  infinite  wifdom  be  very  different,  yet 
when  it  falls  to  the  lot  of  a  nation  to  have  children  to  be  their 
princes,  and  babes  to  rule  ovor  them,  or  to  be  fubjed:ed  eith- 
er to  weak  or  wicketl  rulers,  men  who  either  do  not  know, 
or  have  not  integrity  and  independence  enough  to  purfue 
inch  a  courfe  as  the  public  welfare  demands  ;  Should  fucli 
rulers  be  elevated  even  by  the  people  tliemfeU  es,  the  finger 
of  Gjd  is  as  really  vifi'olo  in  their  elevation,  as  when  a  Mofes, 
a  Jofhua,  a  David  or  a  Wafliiiigton  is  raifed  up,  It  is  God 
who  raifes  up  one  and  puts  down  another,  whether  it  be  His 
defign  to  plant  or  to  rear  up  to  maturity  a  kingdom  or  na- 
tion, or  to  beftow  a  king  in  His  anger  whom  He  will  again 
take  away  in  His  wrath.  Nations  as  well  as  individuals  may, 
many  times,  read  their  crime  in  their  punilhment.  When  a 
people  poffefling  the  invaluable  privileges  of  feleCling  rulers 
by  their  free  fuffrages,  for  important  places  of  public  truft, 
exercifc  that  right  without  havmg  any  regard  to  fuitable  qual- 
ifications, either  moral,  religious  or  pohtical,  but  either  mere- 
ly to  ferve  party  views,  or  to  gratify  fome  fmifter  paflion,  it 
it  is  far  from  uncommon  tor  fuch  rulers  to  prove  a  curfe  rath- 
er than  a  blefling  to  a  people.  When  God  thus  caufes  the 
wickednefs  of  a  people  to  corred  them,  and  their  backflid- 
ings  to  reprove  them,  melancholy  experience  teaches  them 
that  it  is  an  evil  thing  and  a  bitte/,  to  depart  from  the  Lord 
their  God.  A  ftriking  e  vairiple  of  this  we  have  in  the  She- 
chemites,  after  they  had  elevated  Abimeleck  to  the  fupreme 
power  among  them,  while  his  hands  were  reeking  with  the 
innocent. blood  ot  his  murdered  brethren.  Fire  came  out 
from  Abimeleck  and  devourerl  the  men  of  Shechem,  and  fire 
came  out  from  the  men  of  Shechem  and  devoured  Abime- 
leck, agreeably  to  the  curfe  of  Jotham  the  fon  of  Zerubbaal, 
PalBng  by  other  infi:ances  which  are  of  a  more  antient  date, 
1  IhalJ  barely  allude  to  one  which  has  come  within  the  fph'^re 
of  our  own  obfervation,  and  which  perhaps  gives  as  ftriking 
an  illuftration  of  the  truth  of  this  obfervation,  as  any  which 
the  world  has  witneffed  for  many  centuries  paft.  There  can- 
not be  a  doubt  but  the  prefent  French  Emperor,  who  rules  o- 
ver  moft  of  the  nations  of  continental  Europe  with  fuch  def* 

B 


II 


lO 

potic  fway,  has  been  raifed  up  as  a  fcourge  in   the  hand  of 
God  to  punifli  offending  nations  for   their  wickediiefs,  and 
that  he  is  as  truly  the  rod  v  f  God's  anger,  as  was  the  Allyri- 
an  of  old.     But  while  tliat  nation,  with  this  man  at  its  head, 
ilill   continues  to   be  a  rod  in  Gud's  hand  to  punifli  other 
nations,  fhe  has  been  herfelf  compelled  to  drink  deep  ot  the 
bitter  cup.    The  many  unjuft,   cruel  and  fanguinary  execu- 
tionsand  maffacres  which  characterized  the  commencement 
of  her  revolution,  together   with  the  defolating  wars  whica 
have  and  iliU  do  mark  its  progrefs,  connefted  with  the  con- 
Icription  and   other  tyrannical  means  to  which  it   has  beea 
found  neceffary  to  refort  to  recruit  her  armies,  which  are  dai- 
Iv  hurried  on  to  the  Haughter  in  order  to  fatiate  the  infatia- 
ble  an^bition  of  an  upftart  ufurper,   conneaed  with  almolt 
every  fpecies  of  domeilic  tyranny  and  oppreflion,  are  means 
whereby  flie  is  feverely  chattifed  at  this  moment.      Perhaps 
her  correaion  is  Uttle  lefs  fevere  than  that  of  other  nations 
which  ihe  has  fubdued  and  enflaved.  ^      ,    .  ^. 

Some  times  God  vifits  nations  feverely  for  their  correaion, 
when  he  means  nothing  but  mercy  in  the  end.     By  humbhng 
them  firft  before  he  lifts  them  up,  he   intends  the  better  to 
prepare  them  for  thofe  meicies,  which  he  has  in  ftore.     At 
other  times  his  vifitations  are  intended  for  deftruclion  and 
not  for  correaion.     There  is  an  analogy  between  the  man- 
ner  of  God's  dealing  with  offending  nations,  and  the  punith- 
ments  inflicted  on  the  violators  of  wholfome  laws  m  a  well 
rejruiated  commonwealth.     Some  punilhments  are  correftive, 
and  are  intended  both  for  the  fecurity  of  fociety,  and  it  po  - 
fible  to  bring  about  the  reformation  of    the  offender.     All 
punilhments  are  not  of  this  kind.     Capital   punifhments,  at 
leaft,  form  an  exception,  and  perhaps  others  lefs  than  capital. 
They  are  intended  for  the  good  ot  fociety,  and  to  deter  others 
from  the  commiffion  of  fimilar  crimes.      Juft  fo  it  is  with 
either  thefe  national  or  individual  chaftifements  which  pro- 
ceed immediately  from  the  hand  of  God.     All  the  affliaions 
to  which  mankind  are  fubjeaed  in  the  prefent  life,   may  be 
properly  termed  correaive.     They  at  all  times  may,  and  ot- 
tentimes  do  turn  out  for  the  good  of  the  individual.    By  this 
shall  the  iniquity  of  Jacob  be  purged,  and  all  the  fruit  is  to  take  away 


I  hand  of 
iiefs,  and 
lie  Aflyri- 
:  its  head, 
liih  other 
lep  of  the 
iry  execu- 
lencement 
ars  whica 
L  the  con- 
has  been 
:h  are  dai- 
he  infatia- 
Lth  almoft 
are  means 
Perhaps 
ler  nations 

correftion, 
r  humbling 
;  better  to 
ftore.  At 
iiction  and 

the  man- 
the  piinifh- 

in  a  well 
corre<ftive, 
and  if  pof- 
;nder.  All 
hments,  at 
:han  capital, 
ieter  others 

it  is  with 
which  pro- 
e  aJlHidions 
fe,  may  be 
ay,  and  of- 
ual.  By  this 
to  take  away 


11 


sin.     But  whatever  valuable  ends  future  punifhments  anfwer, 
as  it  refpe(5ts  the  intelligent  univerfe,  and  no  doubt  thefe  ends 
are  vaftly  important,    yet  it  muft  be  admitted   that  when 
Chrift  (hall  come  in  flaming  fire,  to  take  vengeance  on  them 
who  know  not  God  and  obey  not  the  Gofpel,  who  are  to  be 
puniftied  with  everlafting  deftrudion  from  the  prefence  of 
the  Lord  and  the  glory  of  his  power,  the  end  to  be  anfwered 
is  very  different  from  one  which  is  merely  corredive,  or  cal- 
culated only  for  the  good  of  the  individual.     Juft  fo  it  is  with 
GoD*s  vifitations  of  kingdoms  and  nations.  Many  fevere  pub- 
lic calamities  are  inflided  which  do  in  the  end  terminate  in 
national  good.     Such  was  the  iffue  of  thofe,   many  of  them 
very  fevere  chaitifements,  which  God  inflicted  on  his  antient 
people  for  their  fins  during  the  forty  years  which  he  fuffered 
them  to  wander  in  the  wildernefs.      How  great  foever  thefe 
troubles  were  in  order  to  prove  them,  God  brought  them  fafe 
to  Canaan  at  laft,  and  they  were  conftrained  to  acknowledge 
that  not  fo  much  as  one  good  thing  had  failed  of  all  that  he 
had  promifed.      In  many  inftances,  however,  we  find  that 
judgments  are  not  only  threatened  but  adually  inflided  upon 
nations,  not  for   their  correftion  and  reformation,  but  for 
their  deftrudion.      When  Ifrael  was  commanded  to  deftroy 
the  Canaanites,  a  punilhment  inflided,  under  Jofhua,  or  when 
Saul  was  ordered  to  deftroy  the  Amalekites,  or  when  fire  and 
brimftone  were  rained  from  the  Lord  out  of  heaven,    none 
will  fay  that  thefe  vifitations  were  corrective,  or  intended  for 
the  good  of  the  nations  which  were  puniflied  in  this  fumma- 
ry  way.  A  very  different  purpofe  was  intended,viz.  that  they 
might  be  held  up  as  a  warning  to  deter  other  nations  from 
the  com  million  of  fimilar  crimes.     Such  has  alfo  been  the  fate 
of  many  other  nations  who  made  a  confpicuous  figure  both 
in  facred  and  profane  hiftory.       Where  are  now  to  be  found 
the  feveral  nations  of  Ammonites,  Moabites,Philiftines,  Edom- 
ites,  &c.     They  have  as  much  vaniihed  from  the  face  of  the 
earth  as  nations,  as  does  an  individual  when  he  defcends  into 
the  filent  tomb  ;  wLile  the  country  they  once  occupied  has, 
for  the  moft  part,  become  a  defart  without  inhabitant.  Where 
are  now  the  antient  and  renowned  cities  of  Niniveh,  Babylon, 
Tyre,  &c.  fo  famous  in  antient  hillory,  and  whofe  fate  was 


I 


w. 


^HH 


12 

I'uch  a  particular  fubjea  of  prophecy  ;  fome  of  which,  partk- 
ularly  Niniveh  and  Babylon,  at  the  head  of  empires  which 
made  the  world  tremble  ?    They  are  no  more.     Ihe  prophe- 
cies, dooming  them  todeftrudion,  have,  loni^fmce,  had  their 
accomplifliment.     The  feveral  empires  of  Affyrians,Babyloin- 
ans  MedesandPerfians,  Greeks  and  Romans,  which,  each  m 
their  turn,  appeared  to  be  fo  firmly  eftablifhed  that  no  human 
power  was  fufficient  to  Ihake  them,  have  long  fince  iunk  in- 
to oblivion,  having  been  mutually  the  inftruments  ot  lub- 
verting  and  deftroying  one  another.      Thefe  were  without 
doubt  raifed  up  and  upheld  by  providence,  as  inftruments  ot 
vengeance  upon  guilty  nations  and  upon  one  another.  ^  Inele 
punilhments,  thus  infliaed,  could  not  be  coniidered  as  intend- 
ed merely  for  the  corredion  of  thefe  nations.      Ihey  were 
calculated  to  hold  them  up  as  beacons  to  the  world  m  future 
affes.     There  is  ufually  a  gradual  progrefs  in  divine  chaltiie- 
ments.      God  does  not  ufually  punifli  nations  in  the  hilt  in- 
ftance,  for  their  deftrudion,  but  bears  long  with  them,  giving 
them  repeated  calls  to  repentance.     It  is  not  until  they  have 
proved  incorrigible,  under  calls  and  warnings  to  repentance, 
that  nations  are  doomed  to  deftrudion. 

It  is  alfo  tobeobfervedthat  God  fometimes  viiitSji.  e.  pumihes 
offending  nations,  by  fpiritual  as  well  as  temporal  judgments 
When  a  people  grow  worfe  and  worfe  under  the  correcting 
hand  of  providence  ;  when,  inftead  of  being  reclaimed  from 
national  lins,  and  learning  righteoufnefs  from  God's  judg- 
ments, which  are  abroad  in  the  earth,  they,  like  llrael,  revolt 
more  and  more,  it  is  a  ftriking  indication  that  their  corredion 
will  be  very  fevere  at  leaft,  if  it  does  not  iffue  in  utter  de- 
ftruaion.     We  have  an  afieding  pidure  of  a  lucceflion  of  di- 
vine  judgments,  and  of  iiardening  under  them,   in  the  4th 
chapter  of  the  prophecy  of  Amos,  to  which  I  refer  without 
quoting.     After  each  of  the  feveral  judgments,  the  complaint 
is  repeated— r^/  ^e  have  not  returned  unto  me,  saith  the  Lord. 
*  ,  This  is  followed  with  a  folemn  and  awful  threatening  of  judg- 
'  me.itsftill  more  fevere.      Therefore  thus  will  I  do  unto  thee,  O 
Israel,  and  because  I  will  do  thus  unto  thee,  prepare  to  meet  thy  God 
O  Israel,     Such  a  hardening  under  judgments  is  not  only  no- 
ticed  in  fcripture  as  what  has  fometimes  happened,  but  is  alio 
threatened  as  a  puniihment  j  i.  e,  when  national  calamities 


1,  p:;rlic- 
3s  which 
J  prophe- 
had  their* 
kbyloni- 
i,  each  in 
X)  human 

iunk  in- 
j  of  lub" 

without 
.ments  of 
•.  Thele 
IS  intend- 
hey  were 
in  future 
i  challiie- 
le  firlt  in- 
Ti,  giving 
:hey  have 
pentance, 

.  puniflies 
Lidgmenis 
:or  re  cling 
med  from 
d's  judg- 
lel,  revolt 
correction 

utter  de- 
lion  of  di- 
i  the  4th 
r  without 
complaint 

the  Lor  J, 
g  of  judg. 
'to  tbee,  O 
ect  thy  God 
it  only  no- 

but  is  alio 

calamities 


13 

and  chaftifements  have  not,  in  the  firft  inftance,   had  the  do- 
fired  efi'ec^,  God  fometimes  gives  a  people  up  to  i-rdiiels  ot 
heart.      Such  was  the  punifliment  threatened  agamit  ilmel, 
after  the  nation  had  been  called  to  repentance  by  a  fuccc  flion 
of  mercies  and  judgments.     Ezek.  24,  xiii.  In  thy  Jilthiness  is 
lewdness  :    because  I  have  purged  thee,  and  thou  wast  not  purged, 
thou  shalt  not  be  purged  from  thy  jilthiness  any  more,  tdl  I  have  caus- 
ed my  fury  to  rest  upon  thee.     Another  ilriking  inflance  M^e  have 
ia  thofe  Jews  who  went  down  into  Egypt  after  the  deftruc- 
tion  of  Jerufalem   by   Nebuchadnezzar's   forces  ;    and    the 
treacherous  murder  of  Gedaliah,  who  had  been  made  gov- 
ernor of  the  land.     Thither  they  carried  the  prophet  Jeremi- 
ah, who  gave  them  faithful  warning  from  the  Lord,  ot   tne 
confequences  of  their  idolatrous  practices.      To  thefe  vyarn- 
ini^s  they  return  this  rebelii.>us  anlwer  :  As  jor  the  word  that 
thou  hast  spoken  unto  m,  in  the  name  of  the  Lord,  we  wdl  not 
hearken  unto  thee.     But  we  will  certainty  do  zvhatsoever  thing  goeth 
iorth  out  of  our  own  mouth,  to  burn  incense  unto  the  queen  cj  heav- 
en,  and  to  pour  out  drink  offerings  unto  her,  as  we  have  done,   we 
and  our  fathers,  our  kings  and  our  princes,  in  the  cities  of  Juciab, 
and  in  the  streets  of  Jerusalem  ;  for  then  had  we  plenty  of  victuals, 
and  were  well  and  saw  no  evil.      But  since  we  left  ojf  to  burn  in- 
cense to  the  queen  of  heaven,  and  to  pour  out  drink  offerings  to  her, 
we  have  wanted  aU  things,  and  have  been  consumed  by  the  sword 
and  by  the  famine.     But  what  was  the  punifhment  ir.fiicted  on 
thefe  rebels  for  this  open  and  obftinate  idolatry  ?  In  addition 
to  a  miferable  end,  in  the  land  of  Egypt,  they  were  given  up 
to  judicial  hardnefs  of  heart,  in  their  infatuated  attachment 
to  their  idolatrous  cuttoms.      Thus  said  the  Lord  of  hcsts^  the 
God  of  Israel,  saying  ;  ye  and  your  wives  have   both  spoken   with 
your  mouths,  and  fulfilled  with  your  hand,  saying,  we  will  surely  per- 
form  our  vows  that  we  have  vozved,  to  burn  incense  unfothe  queen 
ef  Heaven,  and  to  pour  out  drink  ^ff  rings  to  her  :  ^ewulsureiy  ac 
complfh  your  vow:  and  surely  perform  your  vows,     1  hcrrjore  hear 
ye  the  word  of  the  Lord,aU  Jueiab  that  dweU  in  the  land  of  tgjpt  ; 
Behold  I  have  sworn  by  my  great  name,   saiih  the  Lorci,   that  my 
name  dmll  no  more  be  named  in  the  mouth  of  any  manofJudah,  in 
all  the  land  of  Egypt,  saying  the  Lord  God  liveth.      Initaaces  0 
thii  kind  of  puiiiihrnent,  ccnneaed  with  other  prcvidentiai 


»1 

f 


\ 


?V,<' 


i   I 


14 

cKaftiiements,  have  not  been  confined  to  the  Jewifli  nation* 
God  has  frequently  punifhed  chriftian  nations,  particularly 
apoftatifing  churches,  in  the  fame  way,  i.  e.  by  withholding 
the  influences  of  his  fpirit,  and  removing  his  candleftick  out 
of  its  place,  and  by  giving  up  the  nation  itfelf  to  the  fevereft 
public  calamities.     It  was  part  of  the  punifliment  threatened 
to  feveral  of  the  once  famous  feven  churches  of  Alia,  that  un- 
lefs  they  repented  of  their  backflidlngs,  he  would  remove  his 
churches  out  of  that  place.      This  threatening  has  been  long 
fince  fulfilled.     Where  are  now  thefe  once  famous  churches  ? 
They  have  been  unchurched  ;  the  feats  where  they  once  flour- 
ilhed,  long  fince  overrun  by  the  delufions  of  Mahomet,  the 
countries  involved  in  flavery  and   ruin,  and  the  cities  con- 
verted into  heaps  of  rubbifh  ;   fo  that,   of  fome  of  them  at 
lead,   fcarcely  a  fingle  veftige  remains,  while  probably  but 
fevi^  of  the  defendants  of  the  antient  inhabitants  now  occu- 
py the  country  once  pofTefled  by  their  forefathers.  One  thing 
which  indicates  an  increafing  feverity  in   the  vifitations  of 
heaven  upon  the  French  nation,  is  the  grofs  contempt  of  all 
religion  and  religious  inftitutions,  and  the  entire  and  almoft 
univerfal  prollration  of  morals,  with  which  the  feveral  fleps 
of  the  revolution  have  been  accompanied.     Ic  commenced,  it 
is  true,  with  the  mofl:  flattering  profeflion  of  refped  for  the 
rights  of  man,  and  for  refigious  liberty.     But  how  foon  was 
this  beautiful  horizon  overcaft  by  fcenes  of  horror,  tyranny, 
cruelty  and  oppreflion  ;  by  the  renunciation  and  profcription 
of  all  religion,  and  an  entire  depravation  of  morals  ?  In  thefe 
fcenes  of  cruelty  and  impiety,  we  may  read  both  the  fin  and 
the  punifhment  of  that  nation.      When  people  have  no  wifh 
to  retain  God  in  their  knowledge,  he  gives  them  up  to  flrong 
delufions  to  believe  a  lie.     God   will   furely  vifit   for  thefie 
things,  nor  are  we  to  expect  that  the  calamities  of  the  French 
nation  will  ceafe,   before  they  accept  of  the  punifhment  of 
of  their  fins  and  return  to  the  paths  of  religion  and  virtue. 

Should  the  inhabitants  of  thefe  highly  favoured  United 
States,  Jefhurin  like,  wax  fat  and  kick,  by  forgetting  God 
and  lightly  efteeming  the  rock  of  their  falvation  j  fliould  they 
publicly  and  nationally  renounce  the  religion  of  the  Gofpel, 
and  turn  infidels,  deifts,  ^nd  it  may  be  atheifts  j  Ihould  this 


■■^\ 


latwiwr" — iWA'i.i'.ypn-y.i^y 


Ii  nation* 
rticularly 
hholding 
jftick  out 
B  fever  eft 
ireatened 
,  that  un- 
niove  his 
)een  long 
hurches  ? 
nee  flour- 
»met,  the 
ties  con- 
them  at 
)ably  but 
lOW  occu- 
Dne  thing 
ations  of 
npt  of  all 
id  almoil 
ireral  fteps 
nenced,  it 
ft  for  the 
foon  was 
tyranny, 
ofcription 
?  In  ihefe 
le  fin  and 
e  no  wilh 
>  to  ftrong 
for  thelie 
he  French 
hment  of 
d  virtue, 
d   United 
tting  God 
lould  they 
le  Gofpel, 
tiould  this 


15 

become  the  complexion  not  only  of  the  government  but  of 
the  nation,  if  we  may  judge  by  God's  former  ways  of  dealing 
with  offending  nations,  we  may  expeft,  either  to  be  brought 
back  to  the  acknowledgment  of  our  offences,  and  to  genu- 
ine repentance  and  reformation,  by  fevere  correction,  by  fore 
judgment,  or  that  we  will  ripen  apace  for  ruin  until  we  are 
completely  deprived  of  thofe  privileges  we  have  fo  grofsly 
abufed. 

2d.  I  fhall  now  proceed  to  notice  fome  of  thofe  traits  in 
our  national  character  which  go  to  fhow  that,  as  a  nation,  we 
are  expofed  to  thofe  righteous  vifitations  of  heaven.  Shall 
not  my  soul  be  avenged  on  such  a  nation  as  this  ? 

In  adverting  to  thefe  traits  in  the  character  of  our  nation, 
which  give  us  reafon  to  dread  heaven's  awful  vifitations,  it  is 
neceffary  to  bring  into  view — ifl.  Our  privileges  and  advan- 
tages— 2d.  Our  national  character  and  condud  while  in  the 
poffeffion  of  thefe  privileges. 

In  forming  a  juft  eflimate  of  the  comparative  guilt  of  ei- 
ther nations  or  individuals,  it  is  neceffary  to  bring  into  view 
the  peculiar  circumflances  in  which  either  the  one  or  the 
other  is  placed.  Superior  advantages  grofsly  mifimproved, 
never  fail  to  aggravate  guilt.  Previous  to  the  coming  of 
Chrift,  the  Jewifh  nation  enjoyed  many  privileges  above  the 
other  nations  of  the  world.  To  thefe  peculiar  advantages, 
as  well  as  their  manifold  tranfgreflions,  the  prophet  alludes 
in  the  phrafe.  Such  a  nation  as  this.  To  form  a  jufi:  eflimate 
of  the  character  of  our  nation,  we  mufl  bring  into  view  our 
privileges  and  advantages,  as  well  as  our  defection  and  wick- 
ednefs.  Tou  only  have  I  known  of  all  the  people  upon  earthy  there* 
fore  will  I  punish  you  for  all  your  iniquities^  faith  the  Lord  by  the 
prophet  Amos.  Under  that  difpenfation,  no  other  nation 
was  favored  with  a  revelation  of  the  divine  will.  This  was 
by  the  Apoftle  noticed  as  one  of  their  greatefl  privileges. — 
What  advantage  then  hath  the  Jew  ?  What  profit  is  there  of  circum- 
cision ?  Much  every  way^  chiefly  because  unto  them  were  committed 
the  oracles  ofG^D.  While  other  nations  were  left  to  grope  in 
the  dark  without  any  other  light,  than  the  dim  light  of  na- 
ture to  point  out  the  way  of  their  duty,  God  gave  them  flat- 
utes,  laws  and  ordinances,  which  had  on  them  the    flamp  of 


% 


W.i 


i. 

1-^ 


•     16 

His  own  iniar-o  and  authority.     He  was  their  political  King, 
I  a  v"  ver  and  Jucl^e,  in  a  manner  peculiar  to  that   nation.- 

=^nn£.a  writers^  a^^^^^^^ 

v^ie^n  r.  an  a  tonders  He  had  brought  them  out  of 
E^yntCi^^h  a  ftrong  hand  and  outftretched  arm  and  dunng 
rife^bace  of  forty  years,  he  had  miraculoufly  fed  them  with 
m  nn^rinfhe  wLfernefs.  He  had  brought  them  >n.o  t,^ 
land  of  Canaan,  by  driving  out  and   ^leftroy  ng  the   nauon 

before  them,  and  had   greatly  b"="^'''*   '"l!,  'f  Zoort  for  a 
hands  caufing  the  earth  to  yield  an  abundant  fupport  tor  a 
vaft  muWtude.     By  a  train  of  remarkable  providences,  they 
had  been    a^ed  upLm  fmall  beginnings  fo  as  to  become  a 
Jreat  nation.     ALceffion  of  Prophets  had  alfo  been  rajfed 
UP  from  time  to  time,  to  inftrucf  them  more  fully   m  their 
dSty,  and  fix  them  in  the  belief,  and  exc  te  them  to  the  prac- 
Uce  of  the  true  religion.      He  had  alfo  ^.ven  them  many  fig- 
nal  deliverances  ou?of  the  hands  of  their  enemies,  when  ap- 
narently  they  had  but  little  power  of  their  own.  Ihefe  pecu- 
har  Drivileees  theyhad  grofsly  mifimproved,  and  had  even  re- 
eaed  h    Lord   r^om  being  theirKing,&  manifefted  analmoft 
ncorriglble  propenfity   to"imitate  the  idolatrous   cuftoms  of 
he  fur^ounding  nations.  This  depravity,both  m  pnnc.f^e  and 
practice,had  arllen  to  a  great  extent  m  the  time  of  the  proph- 
et  Jeremiah.     To  reclaim  them-K.  Lord  God  of  thar  Faih- 
en  sent  to  them  by  His  messengers,   rising  up  betimes  and  sending, 

beaut  He  J  compassion  on  t^'' P^f ^^ '" dltked'nfs 
tiace.  But  they  moeked  the  messengers  of  God,  and  dipiscjl  His 
Zrds,  and  mislsed  His  prophets,  until  th.yrath^the  Urdji,^ 
against  Hispeople,  till  there  -^as  no  remedy.  S"  I'  ";'=»''« 
pf  ivileees,  and  fuch  was  the  fm  and  pun'ft'ment  of  the  Jews. 
?)ur  fiwaUon  is  not  in  all  refpecls  parallel  We  have  n  Kh- 
cr  been  raif  ■  \  up,  protected,  or  delivered  by  rniracles,  ftr.aiy 
fo  called.  vvTe  hive  not  been  miraculoutty  fed  by  manna 
from  heaven,  during  our  journey  to,  and  peregrinations  in 
thrthen  howling  wUdernifs,  nor  was  the  fea  divided  .0  give 
,is  a  naffa-re  from  Europe  on  dry  land.      But  in  moft  refpefts 


.p,-,***!**:*-  --•^w*j&-*?«K- 


cal  King, 
riation. — 
e,  in  fuch 
TJilar  ex- 
itb  any  na- 
own  by  a 
3m  out  of 
id  durinjT 
hem  with 
into  the 
e   nations 
of  their 
port  for  a 
ices,  they 
become  a 
een  raifed 
f   in  their 
)  the  prac- 
many  fig- 
when  ap- 
hefe  pecu- 
id  even  re- 
i  an  almoft 
cuftoms  of 
nciple  and 
the  proph- 
their  Faih^ 
nd  sending^ 
lis  dwelling 
displscd  His 
Lord  arose 
were   the 
f  the  Jews. 
lave  neith- 
;les,  ftriaiy 
by   manna 
.nations  in 
.kd  to  give 
oft  refpe<5ls 


17 

our  privileges  have  been  equal,  and  in  many,  far  greater  than 
thofe  of  the  Jews.  To  illuftrate  this,  I  fhall  take  a  brief 
glance,  ift.  At  our  natural,  civil  and  poHtical,  and  2dly.  At 
our  moral  and  religious  advantages. 

With  refpea  to  the  firft— Altho'  no  miracles  ftriaiy  fo  call- 
ed attended  the  fettlement  of  this  country,  yet  fo  many  re- 
markable providences  were  combined  in  that  event,  as  clear- 
ly  proved  our  planting  in  this  land,  to  be  the  work  of  God's 
own  right  hand.  No  perfon  who  takes  even  a  curfory  view 
of  thofe  events,  which,  combined  together,  brought  our  forp- 
fathers  from  the  land  of  their  nativity,  to  this  then  howling 
wildernefs,  made  room  for  them  by  the  expulfion  of  the 
heathen,  and  raifed  them  up  to  fo  great  a  degree  of  refpeda- 
bility  as  a  nation  in  fo  Ihort  a  time,  but  muft  be  fnfible  that 
It  IS  the  Lord's  doing.  So  rapid  has  been  our  increafe,  that 
thofe  words  of  the  prophet,  that  a  little  one  Jljould become  a  thou- 
sand,  and  a  small  one  a  strong  nation,  have  been  almoft  literally 
fulfilled ;  and,  in  emerging  from  a  colonial  ftate,  and  taking 
a  rank  among  the  nations  of  the  world,  we  have  feen  a  na- 
tion born  in  a  day.  In  addition  to  thefe  natural  advantages, 
we  have  been  favored  with  the  enjoyment  of  perfonal,  civil, 
and  political  liberty,  in  a  degree  perhaps  beyond  that  of  any 
other  nation.  While  the  eftablifliment  of  moft  other  govern- 
ments, has  been  the  refult  of  either  accident  or  force,  or  a 
combination  of  both,  ours  has  been  deliberately  framed  and 
adopted  by  the  colJecled  wifdom  of  the  nation  ;  while  the 
men  to  whom  the  naceffary  powsrs  were  delegated  for  that 
purpofe,  have  had  both  the  excellencies,  miftakes,  and  defects 
of  other  fyftems  before  them,  either  for  iheir  imitation  or 
warning.  While  the  rulers  of  other  nations  have  been  gen- 
erally impofed  upon  them  without  their  confenr,  and  fre- 
quently, contray  to  their  wiflies,  our  governor  have  been 
from  oiirfelves  j  elevated  to  the  places  of  public  truft  which 
they  have  occupied,  by  the  fuffrages  of  freemen.  While  ma- 
ny, if  not  moft  other  nations,  have  been  the  viclims  of  an  un- 
relenting  defpotifm,  and  cruftied  into  the  duft  by  the  iron 
hand  of  tyranny,  our  laws  have  been,  with  a  few  exceptions, 
equitable  ;  our  public  contributions  light,  our  perfons  and 
property  protected,  and  our  penal  code,  perhaps  as  mild^  and 


I 

IJ 

I 


T 


18 

t^unifliments  as  rare  as  is  confiftent  with  public  and   general 
fecurity.      In  addition  to   thefe    privileges,   we  have  been 
for  a  long  interval,  for  the  nioft  part  favored  with  peace   in 
our  borders  ;  at  a  time  when  many  nations,   ufually   denom- 
inated  chriftian,  have  been   in  a  manner  defolated  by  the  ca- 
lamities of  a  war,  almoft  without  parallel  in  the  annals  ot  civ- 
ilized man.     We  have  alfo  been  bleffed,   not  merely  with  a 
competence,  but  with  an  abundance  of   the    good   things  ot 
this  life  ;  God  having,  as  truly  as  he  did  Ifrael  of  old,  ted  us 
M^ith  the  fineft  of  the  wheat,  with  lambs  and  rams  equal  to 
the  breed  of  Bafhan,  and  made  us  to  ride  on  the  high  places 
of  the  earth.     No  earthquakes  or  volcanoes,  have  delolated 
our  cities,  no  wafting  judgments  have  overtaken  us,  and  few 
nations  have  been  more  exempt  trom  the  peftilence   which 
walketh  in  darknefs,  and  from  the  deftruaion  which  walteth 

at  noon  day. 

With  refped  to  religious  and  moral  advantages,  we  may 
alfo  fay,  that  God  has  rarely  dealt  fo  with  any  nation.     The 
means  of  education  have  perhaps  been  more  generally  dittul- 
ed,  particularly  in  the  northern  Hates,  than  in  any  other  na- 
tion.     Our  fchools  are  accefTible  not  only  to  the  rich,  or  thole 
in  the  middle  walks  of  Hfe,  but  to  the  pooreft  claffe^  in  focie- 
ty.     God  has  alfo  favored  us  with  a   revelation  of  his  will, 
much  more  plain  and  full  than  was  enjoyed  by  the  Jewifh  na- 
tion, even  after  the  canon  of  the  old  teftament  was  complete. 
Life  and  immortality  are  brought  to  light  by  the  gofpel,  and 
the  vail  which  was  on  the  face  of  Mofes    is  done  away    m 
Christ.     While  many  other  nations  h^ve  no    accefs  to  thefe 
Uvely  oracles,  and  icarcely  know  of  the  exiftence  of  fuch  a 
book  as  the  Bible,  and  others,  altho*  not  in  fuch  a  ftate  of  to- 
tal darknefs,  have  few  or  no  opportunities  for  refearch,  the 
fcripturos,  being  inacceffible  by  the  common  people,   became 
locked  up  in  an  unknown  tongue,  and  the  pure  doclrines  of 
the  gofpel  corrupted  by  the  inventions  of  men,  and  the  fim- 
plicity  of  gofpel  worfhip  debafed  by  fuperftition,  we  enjoy  a 
free  and  unrel^rained  accefs  to  the  fcriptures,  and  the  gofpel  in 
its  purity,  a  precious  day  and  means  of  grace,  with  the  hope 
of  glory  thro'  a  redeemer  ;  conne<fted  with  all  that  liberty  of 
conlcience  which  heart  can  wifli.      We  may  worfhip  God  in 


d   general 
lave  been 

peace  in 
y  denom- 
by  the  ca- 
als  of  civ- 
ly  with  a 

things  of 
)ld,  fed  us 
iS  equal  to 
ligh  places 
;  defolated 
5,  and  few 
nee  which 
,ch  wafteth 

s,  we  may 
tion.     The 
rally  difFuf- 
y  other  na- 
ch,  or  thofe 
Te3  in  focie- 
of  his  will, 
!  Jewifli  na- 
is  complete, 
gofpel,  and 
le  awav    in 
:efs  to  thefe 
2  of  fuch  a 
L  ftate  of  to- 
efearch,  the 
3le,   became 
doctrines  of 
and  the  fim- 
we  enjoy  a 
the  gofpel  in 
ith  the  hope 
at  liberty  of 
fhip  God  in 


19 

that  way  which  comports  with  the  dictates  of  our  own  judej- 
ment,  unawed  by  a  proud  overbearing  hierarchy,  without 
danger  of  fire  or  faggot,  or  of  pAins  and  penalties  of  any 
kind  :  or  if  more  agreeable  to  our  wilhes  and  feelings,  we  can 
entirely  neglect  the  worlhip  ot  God,  without  being  amenable 
to  anv  tribunal  unlefs  it  be  to  that  of  Him  who  is  the  judge 
of  the  quick  and  the  dead.  Conne6tod  with  thefe  external 
means  and  advantages,  God  has  frequently  owned  his  own  in- 
ftitutions  in  our  land,  by  making  the  word  of  his  grace  ef- 
fectual for  the  conviction  and  converfion  of  fmners,  and  for 
building  up  his  people  in  faith  and  holinefs. 

Such  have  been  our  privileges,  but  what  has  been  our  im- 
provement ?    It  is  a  truth  frequendy  inculcated  in  holy  writ, 
that  the  more  numerous  and  important  the  privileges  of  a 
people  are,  the  guilt  of  mifimprovement  will  be  the  more  ag- 
gravated and  the  puniftiment  the  more  fevere.     Such  was  the 
iituation  of  the  Jews  compared  with  that  of  other  nations, 
and  God  threaten .  them,  faying,  Tou  only  have  I  known  of  all  the 
families  of  the  earthy  therefore  will  I  pmijh  you  for  all  your  iniqui- 
ties.    The  Jews  of  that  particular  generation  who  were  fa- 
voured with  the  orivileges  of  Chrift's  perfonal  miniftr)  alfo 
enjoyed  advantages  above  thofe  of  their  predeceffors,  and  he 
declares  them  to  be  expofed  to  a  more  aggravated  condemna- 
tion.    Jnd  this  is  the  condemnation,  that  light  is  come  into  the  worlds 
and  men  loved  darkness  rather  than  light,  because  their  deeds  were 
evil.     If  I  had  not  come  and  spoken  unto  them  they  had  not  had  sin, 
but  now  they  have  no  cloak  for  their  sin.      If  I  had  not  done  among 
them  the  works  which  none  other  man  did,  they  had  not  had  sin  ; 
but  now  they  have  both  seen  and  hated  both  me  and  my  Father,  woe 
unto  thee  Chorazin,  %voe  unto  thee   Bethsaida.     For   if  the  mighty 
works  which  were  done  in  you  had  been  done  in  Tyre  and  Sidon, 
thiy  would  have  repented  long  age  in  sackcloth  and  afhes.     But  I  say 
unto  you,  that  it  shall  be  more  tolerable  for  Tyre  and  Sidon,  at  the 
"'ly  of  judgment,  than  for  you.     And  thou  Capernaum,  which  art 
exalted  unto  heaven,  Jhdl  be  brought  down  to  hell.      For  if  the 
mighty  works  which  have  been  done  in  thee  had  been  done  in  Sodom, 
it  would  have  remained  unto  this  day.      But  I  say  unto  you,  that  it 
Jhallbe  more  tolerable  for  the  land  of  Sodom,  in  the  day  of  judgment^ 
than  for  thee.    As  the  fins  of  gofpel  tranlgreffors  are  more  ag- 


J-l 


20 


4 


^i 


gravated  than  even  thefe,  fo  their  punifliment  will  be  propor- 
tionably  fevere.  He  that  despised  Moses*  law  died  without  mer- 
cy^ under  two  or  three  witnesses.  Of  how  much  sorer  pumjhment^ 
suppose  ye,  Jhall  he  be  thought  worthy,  who  hath  trodden  under  Joot 
the  son  of  God,  and  hath  counted  the  blood  of  the  co'venant  where- 
with he  was  sanSltftd  an  unholy  thing. 

Now  are  there  not  alfo  with  us  fins  againft  the  Lord  our 
God.  Here  we  muft  not  loofe  fight  of  an  important  dillinc- 
tion  already  made,  i.  e.  between  fuch  sins  as  are  public  and 
national,  and  fuch  as  are  merely  private  and  perfonal  ofi'ences. 
The  sins  of  individuals  are  not  always  chargeable  on  the  na- 
tion, nor  do  they  call  for  national  vengeance,  whatever  may 
be  the  cafe  of  the  guilty  individual.  When  a  particular  sin 
feceives  no  public  countenance  from  the  nation,  but  on  the 
other  hand,  the  current  of  public  fentiment  goes  to  dilcoun- 
tenance,  reftrain,  or  even  to  punifti  the  offender  where  the 
public  welfare  requires  it,  then  let  the  guilt  be  ever  fo  great, 
it  is  not  juftly  chargeable  on  the  nation,  nor  can  it  with  pro- 
priety be  termed  a  national  sin.  But  fins  become  national 
when  they  become  fo  common  as  to  be  patronized  by  the  pub- 
lic ;  when  inftead  of  being  difcouraged  by  any  public  mark  of 
difapprobation,  they  are  countenanced  and  encouraged  by  the 
example  and  approbation  of  men,  whofe  bufinefs  it  ought  to 
be  to  reflrain  them  ;  when  the  current  of  public  fentiment 
is  fo  flrong  in  favour  of  particular  vices,  that  wholfome  laws 
for  either  their  prevention  or  punifhment  cannot  be  carried 
into  effect  ;  when  they  are  committed  without  fliame  and 
without  a  bluih,  and  an  honeft  and  virtuous  attempt  to  car- 
ry the  moft  wholfome  regulations  into  elFecl  for  their  preven- 
tion would  be  the  moil  direct  method  to  incur  the  popular 
odium,  fins,  which  might  otherwife  be  viewed  as  private  of- 
fences, become  public  crimes,  and  contribute  to  fill  up  the 
meafure  of  national  guilt.  Sins  which  have  the  fanclion  of 
a  law  publicly  acquiefced  in  by  the  nation,  for  their  fupport, 
become,  in  a  fenfe  ttill  more  ftriking,  national  sins.  National 
tranfgrefTions  of  this  complexion  were  far  from  uncommonj 
during  the  reign  of  idolatrous  princes  in  lirael.  Defedion 
and  idolatry  had  then  every  fanclion  which  the  law  could  give 
^hem.    This  rendered  them  not  the  lefs,  but  the  more  ofleo- 


21 


le  propor- 
thout  luet' 
umjhmLnty 
undtr  joot 
int  where' 

Lord  our 
lit  diftiric- 
lublic  and 

I  ofi'ences. 
in  the  na- 
ever  may 
icular  bin 
It  on  the 
)  dilcoim- 
vhere  the 

fo  great, 
with  pro- 
national 
\f  the  pub- 
c  mark  of 
;ed  by  the 

ought  to 
fentiment 
bme  liPws 
be  carried 
lime  and 
ipt  to  car- 
ir  preven- 
j  popuhir 
irivate  of- 

II  up  the 
mction  of 
r  fupport. 

National 
1  common, 
Defedion 
:ould  give 
ore  oilec- 


live  to  God,  and  called  more  loudly  for  national  juJgments, 
Shall  the  throne  of  iniquity  have  fclloivfiip  -with  thee  luhich  ftameth 
mischief  by  a  law.     To  illuftrate  this  point  a  little  farther,  let  it 
be  obferved  that  not  only  the  political,  but  the  moral  and  re- 
ligious charac1:er  of  a  nation  borrows  its  complexion  from  the 
genius  of  the  government  and  the  character  of  the  rulers  of 
that  nation.    A  pious  few,  whofe  characters  may  be  but  little 
known  and  noticed  by  the  world,  may,  and  often  have  been 
the  means  of  averting  the  judgments  of  heaven  from  a  na- 
tion, but  they  do  not  give  a  complexion  to  the  chaiacler  of 
the  nation  itfelf ;  efpecially  when    their  piety  is  diicounten- 
anced  both  by  the  rulers  and  the  body  of  the  people.     In  the 
moft  degenerate  times  in  Ifrael,  there  were  always  a  pious 
few  who  mourned  in  fecret  over  the  national  defection  and 
idolatry.     Perhaps,  there  never  was  a  time  when  defeclion 
was  more  general,  or  when  true  religion  was  at  a  lower  ebb, 
or  more  borne  down  and  difcountenanced,  than  during  the 
reign  of  Ahab.     So  much  were  the  true  worfliippers  of  Gjd 
unnoticed  at  one  time,  that  the  prophet  Elijah  conceived  him- 
felf  to  be  left  alone.      But  altho*  the  pious  few  were  fo  tho- 
roughly concealed  that  even  the  prophet  did  not  know  of 
their  exiftence,  yet  the  Lord  had  referved  untohimfelf  feven 
thoufand  in  Ifrael,  who  had  not  bowed  the  knee  unto  Baal. 
Thefe  hidden  ones,  however,  did  not  impart  a  rehgious  com- 
plexion  to  the  nation.     No — their  national  character  was 
taken  from  a  profligate  idolatrous  court.     On  the  other  hand 
we  find  that  whenever  that  nation  was  blefled  with  wife  and 
virtuous,  but  efpecially  with  religious  rulers,  it  gave  a  relig- 
ious tone  to  the  charader  of  the  nation.    But  when  the  char- 
acTier  of  the  rulers,  particularly  of  the  fupreme  ruler,  was  the 
reverfe,  it  ufually  carried  the  voice  of  the  nation  fo  fully  with 
it  as  to  be  confidered  as  a  national  oefection,   and  the  nation 
was  frowned  upon  and  chailifcd  accordingly.     Inftances  con- 
firming  this  oblervation  may  be  found  in  the  hidory  of  Ifrael 
during  the  reigns  of  David,  Solomon,  Jeholhiph at,  Hozekiah, 
Jofiah,   &c.   as  well  as  during  the  reigns  of  Jeroboam  and 
other  kings  of  Ifrael  and  Judah,  who  were  of  oppolite  char- 
acters.    The  inftance  of  Jofiah  is  perhaps  more  particularly  in 
point,  on  this  fubjeclj  than  that  of  any  other.      It  does  not 


r 


22 

appear  that  the  body  of  the  nation  ever  engaged  cordially  in 
that  reformation  which  he  profecuted  with  fo  much  piety, 
zc  al,  and  perfeverance.  Had  this  been  the  cafe,  it  does  not 
feem  as  if  the  defection  could  have  be  a  to  fudden  and  uni- 
verfal,  as  foon  as  one  of  his  degenerate  offspring  came  to  the 
throne.  Vice,  and  particularly  id. >V,try,leems  only  to  have 
been  overawed  bv  his  prefence  and  authority.  Yet  this  retor- 
mation  was  fo  faV  the  means  of  faving  the  nation,  that  the 
puniOiment  juftly  due  for  national  iniquity  did  not  come  up- 
on  them  during  his  reign.  , 

Rut  it  is  time  to  proceed  to  the  application  of  thefe  obler- 
vations  to  the  particular  fituation  of  this  American  nation.   It 
is  not  my  intention  to  enumerate  a  large  catalogue  of  immo- 
ralities, more  or  lefs  heinous,  or,   more  or  lefs  prevalent  a- 
monjr  us.      Thefe  are  fo  numerous  that,  alas,  our  gold  is  be- 
come  dim  and  the  moft  fine  gold  changed.      I  intend  to  ad- 
vert  merely  to  a  few,  and  only  a  few  thmgs  which  have,  m 
my  view,  affumed  fuch  a  complexion,  that  they  muft  be  con- 
fidered  as  national  evils  of  great  magnitude.     And  here  1  am 
conftrained  in  the  outfet,  fomewhat  reluaantly  I  confefs,  to 
notice  a  feature  in  our  national  government  itfelf,  which  pre- 
sents  to  my  view  a  national  evil  of  great  magnitude  ;  I  mean 
its  beinjr  entirely  J.  'Rkute  of  every  appearance  of  a  feature 
which  can  be  ter  r  ^ious.      And  as  if  the  entire  filence 

of  the  original  conltitution  had  not  been  fufficient  to  calm  the 
fears  of  the  nation,  left  fbmething  of  a  religious  nature,  might 
poffibly,  either  at  one  time  or  another,  become  in  lomelhape 
connected  with  the  government,  Congrefs  is,  by  the  firlt  a- 
mendment  fmce  added  to  the  conftitution,  exprefsly  prohibit- 
ed from  making  any  law  refpeding  religion.      This  is  not 
merely  fuch  a  limitation  of  the  powers  of  Congrefs,  as  to  pro- 
]  libit  the  eftablithment  by  law  of  any  fuperiority,  or  the  giv- 
ing of  any  preference   to   any  particular   denomination  ot 
Chviftians  above  another.      It  extends  to  the  fubjeft  of  relig. 
ion  on  the  broadeft  ground,  i.  e.  Congrefs  muft  give  no  pref- 
erence to  Chriftianity  above  Deifm,  Judaifm,   Paganilm,  the 
impoftures  of  Mahomet,  or  even  above  Atheifm  itfelf.    A^^y 
muft  bv  no  law.  aft.  or  refolution,  acknowledge  the  exiftence 
of  a  Supreme  Being,  becaufe  that  would  be  a  law  relating  to 


■i"!P> 


jrdially  in 
ach  piety, 
t  does  not 
n  and  uni- 
ime  to  the 
ily  to  have 
this  refor- 
,  that  the 
t  come  up- 

hefe  obfer- 
nation.   It 
e  of  imnio- 
>revalent  a- 
gold  is  be- 
end  to  ad- 
:h  have,  in 
luft  be  con- 
d  here  I  am 
confefs,  to 
,  which  pre- 
ide  ;  I  mean 
f  a  feature 
ntire  lilence 
:  to  calm  the 
ituie,  might 
[1  fome  (hape 
J  the  firft  a- 
My  prohibit- 
This  is  not 
jfs,  as  to  pro- 
^  or  the  giv- 
mination  of 
)je6t  of  relig- 
rive  no  pref- 
iganifm,  the 
itfelf.  ^  They 
the  exiftence 
w"  relating  to 


a  great  and  fundamental  do<5lrine  of  religion  with  which 
government  has  no  concern.  According  to  a  conftruclion 
given  to  this  article  of  the  conftitution,  by  high  authority, 
we  find  that  a  bill  to  incorporate  the  Proteftant  Kpifcopal 
Church  of  Alexandria,  in  the  diftrict  of  Columbia,  for  the 
purpofe  of  enabling  the  fociety  the  better  to  manage  its  tem- 
poral concerns  ;  and  another  to  beftow  upon  a  religious  focie- 
ty at  Salem,  in  the  MiiTiflippi  Territory,  the  paltry  donation 
of  five  acres  of  the  public  lands,  including  the  i'pot  where  they 
had  erected  a  meeting  houfe,  both  of  which  had  paffed  both 
houfes  of  Congrefs,  were  obje^led  againft  and  returned,  be- 
caufe,  by  pafling  thefe  bills  into  laws,  Congrefs  would  go  be- 
yond their  conftitutional  limits  by  interfering  in  a  fubjecft 
conne<fled  with  religion.*  If  this  conftruclion  of  the  confti- 
tution of  the  United  States  be  juft,  and  it  is  not  my  prefent 
intention  to  call  it  in  queftion,  it  prefents  a  view  of  the  re- 
ligious fituation  of  our  country  which  is  truly  alarming.— 

*0n  February  15,  181 1,  a  bill  which  hid  pafTed  both  houfes  for  the  incor- 
ation  of  the  Proteftant  Epifcopal  Church  of  Alexandria,  in  order  to  enable  the 
fociety  the  better  to  manage  its  temporal  concerns.     This  bill  the  Prefident  re- 
turned with  his  ohjedlions,  too  lenghty    to  infert  at  large  in  a  note.     But  they 
were  grounded  on  a  fuppoled  opinion  that  it  exceeded  the  limits  of  that  article 
of  the  conftitution,  which  fays,  **  Congrtfs  ftiall  make  no  law  refpefting  religion," 
altho'  the  pafling  of  fuch  laws  was  not  without  precedent.  A  law  had  been  pafTed 
during  Prefident  JefFerfon's  adminiftration  for  the  incorporation   of  a  Preftjyte- 
rian  Church  in  Georgetown.     Thia  bill  was  afterwards  rejedted  by  the  houfe. 
Vide  journal  of  H.  R.   3d  feflion  Congrefs,  page  290. 
A  B;<ptift  fociety  in  a  town  called  Salem,   Mifliflippi  Territory,   not  poflefs- 
ing  a  convenient  fpot  on  which  to  eredt  a  meeting  houfe,  built  one  on  the  pub- 
lic lands  of  the  United  States.     The  iociety  petitioned  Congrefs   for  liberty  to 
purchrffe  a  lefs  quantity  of  land  than  could  be  fold   according    to  the    exifting 
laws,  which  could  not  be  lefs  than   a  quarter  fe<5\ion,  or  1 60  acres.      Congrefs 
did  not  fee  fit  to  grant  the  petition,  but   pjifled  a  bill  in  which  a  claufe  was  in- 
ferted  to  make  the  fociety  a  donation  of  five  acres  of  land,  including  the  fpot 
where  this  meeting  houfe  ftood,  for  the  purpofe  of  a  common.     This  bill  was 
prefented  to  the  Prefident  not  long  before  the  clofe  of  the  feflion,  and  he  re- 
turned it  with  the  following  obje£lIon,  viz. 

**  Becaufe  the  bill,  in  referving  a  certain  parcel  of  land  of  the  United  States, 
for  the  ufe  of  faid  Baptift  Church,  comprifes  a  principle  and  precedent  for  the 
appropriation  of  funds  of  rl^e  United  States,  for  the  ufe  and  fupport  of  religious 
focieties,  contrary  to  the  ariic'e  of  the  conftitution,  which  declares  "  that  Con- 
grefs ftiall  make  no  law  refpefling  a  rel'gous  eftablifliment.** 
This  bill  like  the  other  was  afterwards  rej^i^ed. 

Journal,  ext.  fiipra,  page  357. 


V 


s 

\\ 

I 

i    ■ 

if 


ii 


24 

Chriftianity  U  not  only  treated  with  entire  neglect,  but  Is  ab- 
folutely  profcribed.  I  fee  not,  but  agreeable  to  this  conftruc- 
tion  of  the  conftitution,  Congrefs  has  annually  violated  it  by 
eleding  chaplains,  and  giving  them  a  trifling  compenfation 
out  of  the  public  treafury.  At  leaft,  the  joint  refolution  of 
the  two  houfes,  which  limits  the  choice  of  chaplains  to  par- 
ticular denominations  of  Chriftians,  to  the  exclufion  of  Paj^jans^ 
Jews  or  Mahometans,  muft  be  unconftitutional,  becaufe  it  has 
the  appearance  of  giving  Chriftianity  the  preference  above 
other  fuppofed  religions,  fome  of  which  at  leaft  have  more 
numerous  votaries  in  the  world  at  large  than  Chriftianity  it- 
felf.  Indeed,  if  the  feparation  between  religion  and  s^overn- 
ment  muft.  be  fo  entire,  I  fee  not  upon  what  grounds  Congrefs 
poffefTes  the  power  of  making  provifion  by  law  for  the  ad- 
miniftration  of  oaths,  as  this  is  a  fubjed  which  is  certainly 
moft  intimately  connefted  with  religion,  and  is  in  itfelf  an 
acknowledgment  of  the  Being,  Omnifcience,  and  moral  gov- 
ernment  of  God,  and  the  accountability  of  man.  Where 
there  is  no  fenfe  of  religious  obligation,  no  awe  or  reverence 
of  a  deity,  no  confcioufnefs  of  his  all-feeing  eye,  it  is  diffi- 
cult to  conceive  ot  what  ufe  or  importance  an  oath  can  be  in 
any  cafe.  Government  therefore  cannot  renounce  all  con- 
nexion with  religion,  without  furniftiing  the  means  of  its 
own  deftruclion.  But  to  this  length  does  the  principle  irt 
queftion  lead  us. 

It  was  a  charge  urged  againft  Ifrael  by  the  prophet  Jeremiah, 
and  one  which  he  confiders  as  a  peculiar  aggravation  of  their 
guilt,  that  while  other  nations  were  generally  ftedfaft  in  their 
idol  worfliip,  they,  viz.  the  Jews,  had  apoftatifed  from  the 
fervice  of  the  true  God.  Hatb  a  nation  changed  their  Gods;, 
which  are  yet  no  Gods  ?  But  my  people  have  changed  their  glory 
for  that  which  docs  not  profit.  Be  ye  astonished  0  ye  Heavens  at 
thiSi  and  horribly  afraid  ;  be  ye  very  desolate,  saith  the  Lord.  For 
my  people  have  committed  two  evils.  They  have  forsaken  me  the 
fountain  of  living  waters,  and  hewed  them  nut  cisterns,  broken  cis- 
terns, that  can  hold  no  water.  To  this  source,  this  national  forsak- 
ing of  the  Lord  their  God,  is  traced  the  calamities  which  follow, — ' 
Is  Israel  a  servant,  is  he  a  home  born  slave,  why  is  he  spoiled  >  The 
young  lions  roared  upon  him  and  yelled ^and  they  made  his  land  waste  ^ 


I 


but  Is  abi 
;  conftruc- 
ated  it  by 
ipenfation 
Dlution  of 
ns  to  par- 
Df  Pai^ans, 
aufe  it  has 
ice  above 
ave  more 
Hanity  it- 
d  s^overn- 
Congrefs 
•  the  ad- 
certainly 
itfelf  an 
loral  goV' 
Where 
reverence 
it  is  diffi- 
can  be  in 
J  all  con- 
ans  of  its 
nciple  in 

Jeremiah, 
n  of  their 
ft  in  their 
from  the 
heir  GoDf, 
'heir  glory 
h'a-vtns  at 
.onf.  For 
m  me  the 
broken  cis' 
naiforsak- 
'}  follow. — ' 
i/eJ>  The 
and  waste. 


bis  estates  burnt  without  inhabitant.  Also  the  children  of  Noph  and 
Tahapares  have  broken  the  crown  of  thy  head.  Hast  thou  not  pro- 
cured this  imto  thyself  in  that  thou  hast  forsaken  the  Lord  thy  God 
when  he  led  thee  by  the  way  ?  I'he  people  of  thefe  ftatcs  once 
acknowledged  theinfelves  as  a  chriftian  nation.  The  north- 
ern Rates,  in  particular,  were  in  their  fnil  fettleinent  a  planta- 
tion ftriclly  and  eminently  religious,  and  I  believe  there  are 
but  few,  if  any  of  thefe  ftates,  but  in  one  fhape  or  another, 
once  gave  legiflativc  countenance  to  the  chriilian  religion. — 
And  when  it  is  confidered  that  as  a  people,  vi?e  have  been  fo 
diftinguiilied  by  the  care  of  heaven,  that  the  Lord  has  been, 
from  lime  to  time,  even  from  generation  to  generation,  our 
ftrength  and  our  i^y^^<^.,  and  has  f  >  frequently,  in  fuch  a  fignal 
manner,  become  our  falvation,  have  not  we  as  vt'ell  as  the 
Jews,  been  guilty  of  forfaking  the  Lord  our  Gud,  who  has 
led  us  by  the  way  ?  Can  it  therefore  be  that  the  people  of 
theie  ftates  have  not  incurred  national  guilt  of  a  very  deep 
die,  by  placing  themfelves  in  fu-  h  an  attitude  before  the  world, 
that  not  a  ftngle  trace  of  the  charader  of  a  chriftian  nation 
is  left  ?  Indet'd  the  whole  catalogue  of  national  fms  may  be 
confidered  as  fhoots  fpringing  from  this  root. 

I  am  fenlible  that  I  am  entering  on  a  very  delicate,  and 
with  miiny  a  very  unpopular  fubjecT:  ;  and  that  I  fliall  proba- 
bly not  barely  incur  the  odium  ot  the  avowed  enemies  of  re- 
ligion, but  the  cenfure  of  many  ot  its  pretended,  and  offome 
ot  its  real  friends.  lY-rhaps  there  is  no  one  feature  in  the 
conftitution  of  the  Dnited  States,  which  has  been  the  fubjed 
of  more  numerous  encomiums,  of  more  unqualified  praife 
upon  both  fides  of  the  Atlantic,  than  this,  that  it  takes  no  no- 
tice of,  and  is  not  at  all  connected  with  religion.  It  is  not 
difficult  to  point  out  the  quarter  from  whence  thefe  encomi- 
ums have,  in  the  firft  inftance  originated.  1  he  placing  of  all 
religions,  or  of  all  fentiments  on  religious  fubjects,  whether 
for  or  againft  religion  itfelf,  upon  an  equal  footing,  has  been 
the  popular  theme  of  modern  phiiofophifts.  By  thus  degrad- 
ing chriilianity  to  a  level  with  paganifm.  inlideHty,  and  athe- 
iliu,  they  doubtlefs  expected  to  be  put  in  a  better  fituation 
to  overthrow  and  exterminate  it  altogether.  It  is  a  juft  mat- 
ter of  lamentation,  that  fo  many  who  are  friends  at  heart  to 

D 


k 


1 


IB? 


it 


f 


'J 


26 

the  re  il  interefts  of  religion,  fnould  have  fo  greedily  fwallow- 
ed  the  p-rnicious  bait  that  was   thrown  out  to  them,  regard- 
lefs  of  the  hook  which  was  concealed  beneath.       This  equal- 
izin'^  of  all  religious  opinions  ;  this  ranging  of  atheiftn,  inii- 
deli?y,  and  blafphemy,  fide  by  iide,  with  the  Goipel  of  Jelus 
Christ,  has  been  a  popular    topic,  and  as  it  is  much  eaher  to 
cull  hard  names,  than  to  produce  found  arguments,  the   molt 
opprobrious  epithets  have  been  liberally  beftowed  on  all  wlio 
fliould  dare  to  difpute  the  orthodoxy  of  thele  fentiments.-— 
It  has  been  reprefented  as  little  better  than  facrilege  for  relig- 
ion and  government  to  have  the  remotell  connexion  togeth- 
cr.     1  his  principle  was  avowed,  and  the  moll  unhmited  tol- 
eration ot  all  relif;ious  opinions  proclaimed  at  the  commence- 
ment of  the  French  revolution.      But  how    foon  was  every 
form  of  chrillianity  profcribed  ?    That  fome  of  our  moft  zeal- 
ou'^  advocates  for  religous   liberty  and   toleration,    and  our 
wp.rmtft  declaimers  againll  any  connection  between  religion 
and  ivovern.ment,  have  nothing  lefs  in  view  than  the   entire 
baniiliment  of  chriftianity  out  of  the  world,  as  foon  as  they 
are  able  to  fuperadd  violence  to  their  other  modes  of  oppoli- 
tion,  cannot  admit  of  a  doubtc     Should  they   fucceed  in  the 
attempt  to  render  the  chriitian  religion  contemptible  and  odi- 
ous.  the  traiifition  from  that  ftate  to  actual  violence,  is  natur- 
al  and  ealV.     A  very  g(Kod    preparatory  ftcp  towards  render- 
in'.'  it  contemptible,  is,  if  pollible,  in  the  hrft  place  to  render 
the  imprcllion  univerfi!,  that  it  is  a  matter  of  fuch  abfolute  in- 
dilFcrence,  as  tg  be  emir-  ty  f.parated  from  the  cafe,  and  un- 
worthy of  the  noiico,  01    even  of  the  remoteft  attention  of 
government.     I  have  already   obferved,   and  1  again  repeat, 
that  I  am  far  from  attributing!:  any  fuch  motive  to  many,  and 
probably  to  the  great('fl:  nun.ber   of  thofe  who  efpoule  theo- 
pir-ionl  am  endtavoring  to  comba'.     1  could  wilh  however, 
to  be  able  to  convince  them,  that  the  opinion  is  an   incorrea: 
one,  calculated  vitally  to  i,  jure  a  caufe  which  they  profefs  to 
have  at  heart.     In  this  inftance  the  L!nued  States  are  exhibit* 
ing  perhaps  a  new  and  fingular  fpectacle  to  the  world.  A  gov- 
ernment without  a  connexion   with  religion  of  fbme  fort,  is 
probablv,  a  novcltv,  a  plienomenon  which  the  world  has  nev- 
er witntfl'ed  betore.     It  is  a  bold  expcriinciit,  and  one  which 


Witim, 


f  fwallovi*- 
1,  regard- 
liis  equal - 
eifm,  infi- 
1  of  Jefus 
:h  eafier  to 
,  the   moft 
on  all  who 
timents. — 
e  for  relig- 
ion togeth- 
iimited  tol- 
commence- 

was  every 
:  moft  zeal- 
1,  and  our 
en  religion 

the   entire 
)on  as  they 
3  of  oppofi- 
:ceed  in  the 
ible  and  odi- 
ce,  is  natur- 
rds  render- 
:e  to  render 
I  abfolute  in- 
ife,  and  un- 
attention  of 
gain  repeat, 
)  many,  and 
fpoufe  the  o- 
Ih  however, 
an  incorred: 
ey  profcfs  to 

are  exhibit* 
orld.  A  gov- 
fbme  fort,  is 
irld  has  nev- 
id  one  which 


27 

1  fear  can  only  ifliie  in  rational   apoRacy   and   national  ruin. 
Many  plaudble  arguments  have  been  urged  on  this  funject, 
which  have,  without  doubt,  had  a  powerful  elfecl  upv)n  hon- 
eft  mir.ds.     But  it  appears  to  me  that  they  are  more  plaufible 
than  {olid,  and  go  tofupporta  theory  which  is  both  vifionary 
and  fallacious.  Some  ot  the  moft  plaufible  are — That  Christ 
will  protect  his  church,  and  maintain  his   own    caufe,    inde- 
pendent  of  any  aid  derived    from  the  civil  powers   of  the 
world.     That  the  chriftian  religion  refts  on  its  own  bafis,  and 
requires  nothing  but  fair  play,  i.  e.  to  be  neither  countenanc- 
ed or  fupported,  oppofed  or  pcrlecuted    by  civil  authority,  to 
caufe  it  to  flourifli.     That  human  authority   has  been  gener- 
ally on  the  fide  of  fuperftition  and  error,  and  may  be  indiffer- 
ently ufed   for  the   fupport  of  paganifm  and  chriftianity. — 
Thefe  and  iimilar  arguments    have   been  urged  with  much 
warmth,  and  a  degree  of  plimfibility,    attended   with   fp.  cial 
care  to  brand  their  opponents  with  the  charge  of  intolerance 
at  leaft,  if  not  with  being  aduated  by  a  perfecuting  fpirit.     It 
is  granted  that  civil  government  has  been  oftentimes  aflociat- 
ed  with,  and  the  powers  of  the  civil    magiftrate    exerted  in 
fupport  of  a  falfe  religion,  as  well  as  perfecuted  the  true. — 
But  that  is  no  reafon  why  the  fupreme  power  of  a  nation,  af- 
fecting to  retain  the  name  of  chrillian,  fhould  give  no  prefer- 
ence to  the  benevolent,   heaven-born  fyftem  of  chriftianity, 
above  thofe  falfe  relimons,  or  above  no  religion  at  all.     Civil 
governments  have  oftentimes  been  very  oppreffive.      Inltead 
of  protecting  the  rights  of  tlie  cit  izens,  they  have  eftablifhed 
mifchief  by  cruel  and  opprefhve  laws.      But  that  is  no  argu- 
ment againft  either  the  neccility^  ufefuLiefs,  or  importance  of 
civil  government.     It  is  granted  that,  under  the  influence  of 
a  falfe  rehgion,    chriftianUy   has  been  oftentimes  perfecuted, 
and  that  different  religiims  iecls,  calling  themleives  Chriftians, 
have  Ibmetimes  opprcfVed  and  periecuted  one  another.     This 
may,  perhaps,  be  a  go(Hl  reafon  why  difftirent  feels  of   chrif. 
tians  ought  to  be  placed  on  an  equal  footing,  as  the  heft  mean 
to  cultivate  harmony  and  mutual  clsarity  ;  and  to  prevent  the 
undue  preponderance  of  one  feci;  over  another.     But  it  is  no 
argument  t\  .':y  chriftianity  itfelf  iln-uld  be  placed  upon  a  lev- 
el with  either  paganifm  or  a!)(oluto  irreligion.      It  is  alfo  2. 


28 


;\( 


II 


' 


f 


I  i 


il 


glorious  truth,  and  one  which,  in  times  of  trial,  aflords  the 
beft,  if  not  the  only  ground  of  fupport  and  confolation  to  the 
pious  mind,  that  Chris  r  will  protecl  his  church  ;  and   that 
neither  the  malice,  power,  or  policy  of  earth  or  hc!l,  fliail  fi- 
nally prevail  againft  it.     In  the  protecflion  of  his  caufe,  he  is 
not  only  independent  of  the  civil  powers  of  the   world,  but 
where  they  are  found  in  oppofition,   he  will  do  it  in  fpite  of 
this  enmity.     The  queilion  therefore  is   not  wliat   the  great 
head  of  the  church  cither  can  or  will  do,  but  what  is  the  duty 
of  thofe  nations  where  chrilllanity  lias  been   the  religion  long 
publicly  profeffed.     It  does  not  follow  that  thofe  powers  who 
either  oppofe,  or  refufe  to  lend  their   aid  in   fupport    of  his 
caufe,  do  their  duty,  or  take  that    courfe  which  Infinite  wif- 
dom  has  pointed  out  to  them    as  proper.     Altho'  Christ  is 
able,  and  will  aclually  maintain  his  own  caufe,  yet  he  has  ui'u- 
ally  feen  fit  to  do  it  by  the  co-operation  of  human  means,  and 
of  thefe    means  the  countenance  of  civil  rulers,  by  ranging 
themfelves  on  the  lide  of  his  religion,  and  enacting  wholfome 
laws  for  the  fuppreilion  of  vice,  and  the  prevention  and  pun- 
ifhment  of  fuch  crimes  as  are  not  only  in   oppofition  to  relig- 
ion, but  injurious  to  civil  fociery,  are  not   matters  of  minor 
importance.     The  propofirion  that   Christ  will  defend    his 
church,  carried  to  the  length  which  fome   are  difpoled  to  ex- 
tend it,  may  be  urged  with  equal  plaufibility  againft  any  oth- 
er human  endeavors  to  promote   the  caufe  and  extend  the 
kingdom  of  Christ,  as  in  favor  of  fuch  an   entire  foparation 
between  government  and  religion,  as  is  the  fubject  of  lb  much 
popular  declamation  at  the  prefent  day.       It  is  no  more  than 
an  extenfion  of  the  pi  inv'iiple  contended  for,  to  fay  that  Christ 
will  maintain  his  own  caufe,  independent  of  the  })reachingof 
the  Gofpel,and  all  endeavors  to  extend  it,  and  of  the  tranlla- 
tion  &  circulation  of  the  fcriptures,and  all  other  helps  for  the 
promotion  of  religious  knovv'ledge  ;  and  that  all  thtl'e  things 
are  improper,  becaufe  elKcted  by  the  intervention  of  human 
means.  The  truth  however  is, thiit  wlienever  Chrisi'  fees  fit  to 
interpofe  in  a  remarkable  way  in  behalf  of  his  church,  he  al- 
ways does  it  by  the  intervention  of  Imman  means,   by  railing 
up  and  qualifying  fuitahle  inftruments  to    carry  on   his  own 
works.       God  originally  brought  his  ^  people  up   out  of  iu^ 


iji' '■.,._ 


■-'^iliiiliiHn  u\immmimmi  .M-m 


29 


(lords  the 
ion  to  the 

and  that 
1,  fliall  fi- 
jle,  he  is 
eoild,  but 
in  Ipite  of 

the  irreat 
s  the  duty 
[(rion  lony; 

o  o 

)\vers  who 
irt  of  his 
ifinite  wii"- 
Christ  is 
le  has  u Tu- 
ne a  ns,  and 
)y  ranging 
wholfome 
a  and  pun- 
in  to  reli<jf- 
;  of  minor 
Icfcnd  his 
)led  to  ex- 
ft  anvoth- 
xtend  the 
foparation 
3f  lb  much 
more  than 
lat  Christ 
'caching  of 
he  tranlla- 
ilps  lor  the 
itfe  thiiiq;s 
of  human 
'i-  fees  fit  to 
ncli,  he  al- 
bv  raifniG: 
1  his  own 
out    of   il- 


gypt  with  a  (Irong  hand  and  outfirctched  arm  ;  but  he   botli 
brought  them  up  out  of  Egypt  and  led  them  through  the  wll- 
dernefs^  by  the  hand  of  Mofes  and  Aaron,  under  whom  tl;e 
power  of  the  magittrate  and    the    irilluence  of  religion  were 
combined.     He  aUb  raifed  up  Zerubbabel  the  governor,  and 
Jofhua  the  high  prieft,  and  no  doubt  he  flill   makes  ufe  of  re- 
ligious magirtrates  to  promote  the   intcreft  of  Zion.     Magif- 
trates  as  fuch,  it  is  fiiid,  mud  carry  it  with  an  even  hand,  i.  e. 
with  the  utmoft  impartiality  and   indifference  with  regard  to 
rehgion.     Ihey  muft,  in  their  pubHc  capacity,  be  neither  for 
or  againft  it  in  any  refpecSt.     This  was  not  a  principle   incul- 
cated on  antient  Ifrael  under  the  im.mediate  guidance  of  infpi- 
ration.     God  ever  taught  that    rebelHous    people,  tliat  their 
national  concerns  and  reUsfion  were  intimately  connecled  to- 
gether.     It  is  not  a  principle  inculcated  upon  his  followers  by 
our  blefled  Lord.     He  t)wns  no  fuch    indifferent  characters, 
either  in  the  perfons  of  princes,  legiflators,  magiffrates  or  in- 
dividuals,   but  exprefsly  declares,  He  that  is  not  zvitb  ?ne,  is  a^ 
gainst  7fie,  and  he  that  gat  beret  b  not  with  i}u\  scat  tenth  abroad. — 
Governments  therefore  which  allume  this  attitude  of  impar- 
tiality and  indifference  with  regard  to   religion,  will,   in  the 
eftimation  of  Him  who  is  to  be  the  judge  of  the  quick  and  the 
dead,  be  confidered  as  taking   their  rauk  on  the   fide  of  his 
enemies,  as  the  enemies  and  perfecutors  of  his  caufe.     When 
I  confider  the  attitude  affumed  by  this  nation  with  regard  to 
religion,  I  cannot  but  tremble  for  my   country.     We  tfiil  af- 
fect to  confider  ourfelves  as  a  chriUian    nation  ;  but    wliere 
are  the  evidences  of  it  ?    I   hope  and  beHtve  there  are  many 
chriflian  individuals  among  us,  and  that  their  number  is  rath- 
er increafing  than  diminifhing  in  our  country.     Ihefe  may 
be  the  means  of  laving  us  from  ruhi.       But    v.here  can    we 
find  a  fingle  veftige  of  chriftianity  in   our  national  character  ? 
There  is  none.     Whatever  character  of  indiflcrence  thereff  ;r(j 
our  national  governnjent  may  liave  feen  fit  to  allume,  as  it  is 
not  tor  Christ,  or  a  rankirg  on  liis   fide,  it  mud  be  agiiinit 
i\im.     If  your  national  character    is  not    chriltian,  it  is  anti- 
chriftian,  for  there  is  no  midway. 

The  'id  Pfalm    is  undoubtedly    a  prophecy  relating   to  tlie 
Coljpel  kingdom  of  the   Meihali,   and  a  warning  to  princes 


•| 


% 


.! 


3° 

and  rulers  of  their  danger  in  oppofing  that   kingdom.     The 
kings  of  the  earth  set  themselves,  and  the  rulers  take  council  togeth' 
cr  against  the  Lord,  and  against  hi\  anointed,  saying.  Let  us  break 
their  bands  asunder,  and  cai>t  away  their  cords  from  us.     He  that 
sUteth  in  the  hea-vcns  shall  laugh  ;  the  Lord  shall  hold  them  in  deris' 
ion.     Then  shall  he  speak  unto  them  in  his  lurath',  and  vex  them 
in  his  sore  displeasure.     Such  is  to  be    the  fate  of  the  oppofers 
of  Christ  and  his  caufe  ;  thofe  who  break    his  bands   .ifun- 
der  and  call:  his  cords  from  them.     But  what  is    the  advice 
given  to  rulers  that  they  may  efcape  this  righteous  indigna- 
tion ?     Is  it  to  ftarid  aloof  from  religion  and  beware  of  med- 
dling with  any  of  its  concerns  ?     Does  he  tell  princes  and  ru- 
lers, thit  however  they  may  be  permitted  to  be  chriftians  in 
their  private  capacity  as  men,  yet,  in  their  public  characters, 
they  muft  uct  with  the  utmoil    impartiality   between   the  in- 
terell   of  Christ  and   of  Belial  ;  or  that  they  mull  not  give 
the  flighteft  preference  totheintereils  of  religion,  above  thofe 
ofatheifm.     Nothing  like  this.     On   the  other   hand  he  ex- 
horts them,  frying.  Be  wise  now,   therefore,  0  ye  kings ;  be  in- 
structed ye  judges  of  the  earth.     Serve  the  Lord  with  fear,  and  re- 
joice with  trembling.     Kiss  the  Son,  lest  he  be  angry,  and  ye  perish 
from  the  way,  when  his  wrath  is  kindled  but  a  little.    Blessed  are 
all  they  that  put  their  trust  in  him,  i.  e..  embrace  Jtsus  Christ. 
Let  not  merely  your  hearts,  but   your  power,  authority  and 
influence  be  en  the  Lord's  fide. 

The  confideration  that  Christ  both  can  and  will  defend 
his  church,  independent  of  the  power  and  policy  of  the  world, 
ought  to  have  a  very  different  effect  both  upon  nations  and 
individuals,  from  that  of  promoting  indifference  and  inatten- 
tion to  the  interefts  of  religion.  While  it  ought  to  difcour- 
age  all  oppolirion  on  the  one  hand,  from  the  confideration 
that  whoibever  falleth  on  this  Ifone  iliall  be  broken,  and  on 
whomfoever  it  fliail  fall,  it  will  grind  him  to  powder  ;  fo  the 
reflection  that  it  is  a  caufe  which  muff  eventually  triumph,  is 
a  confideration  which  ought  to  animate  all  to  the  moft  vig- 
orous exertions,  and  neither  give  way  to  defpondency  or  dif- 
couragement,even  when  the  profpcd  is  the  moft  gloomy.  It  is 
thereiore  a  great  error  to  fuppofe  that  chriftianity  will  be  the 
moft  apt  to  flourilli  under  the  indifference  or  neglect  of  the 


! 

1  F 


'■■mmmtM.^.mmmii^s^^:. 


lom.     The 
incil  togeth' 
,€t  us  break 
r.     He  that 
^em  in  derU' 
id  vex  them 
le  oppofers 
inds   afun- 
tlie  advice 
IS  indiorna- 
.re  of  med- 
ics and  ru- 
iriftians  in 
characters, 
en   the  in- 
lI  not  give 
ibove  thofe 
and  he  ex- 
ngs ;  be  in- 
ear,  and  re- 
nd ye  perish 
Blessed  are 
js  Christ. 
hority  and 

vill  defend 
the  world, 
lations  and 
nd  inatten- 
to  difcour- 
)nrideration 
:en,  and  on 
der  ;  fo  the 
triumph,  is 
e  moft  vio:- 
oucy  or  dif- 
;loomy.  It  is 
'  will  be  the 
ylect  of  the 


31 

civil  magiftrate.  Akho*  the  condition  of  the  chriftian  church 
is  different  from  that  of  the  jewifli,  and  it  is  neither  to  be 
defired  or  expected,  that  chriltian  rulers  fliould  have  all  that 
authority  in  things  facred,  which  was  once  enjoyed  by  the 
jewifh  kings,  yet  if  we  attend  to  the  prophecies  whicli  re- 
late to  the  lituation  and  duty  of  chriftian  rulers  in  Gofpel 
times,  we  will  find  them  by  no  means  reprefented  as  that  in- 
different kind  of  charaders  with  regard  to  religion,  which 
many  would  wifh  them  to  be.  I  Ihall  tj[uote  two  or  three 
paffages  for  illuftration. 

And  kings  Jhall  be  thy  nursing  Fathers .^and  their  Queens  thy  nurs- 
ing Mothers.  Arise,  shine,  for  thy  light  is  come  and  the  glory  cf 
the  Lord  is  risen  upon  thee.  And  the  Gentiles  Jh all  come  to  thy  light 
and  Kings  to  the  brightness  of  thy  rising.  And  the  sons  ofthejiran- 
ger  fhall  build  up  thy  walls  ;  and  their  Kings  floall  minifter  unto 
thee.  Thou  Jhalt  suck  the  breqjis  of  Kings,  and  thou  fh alt  know 
that  I  the  Lord  am  thy  Saviour  and  Redcerner, 

One  thing  which  tended  greatly  to  ftrengthren  the  grand 
apoftacy  was  that  the  kings  of  the  earth  gave  their  power  and 
ftrength  unto  the  Beaft.  The  fame  kings  of  the  earth,  i.  e. 
of  the  Latin  earth,  or  Roman  Empire,  were  to  have  an  agen- 
cy in  the  downfall  of  the  great  whore  v.'ho  fitteth  upon  many 
waters.  They  were  to  hate  the  whore  and  burn  her  with  fire. 
As  a  counterpart  to  this  agency,  both  in  tlie  growth  and  down- 
fall of  the  man  of  fin,  it  was  to  be  proclaimed  at  his  down- 
fall on  the  founding  of  t' e  feventh  Angel,  that  The  kingdoms 
of  this  world  are  become  the  kingdoms  of  our  Lord  and  of  his  Chriji, 
I,  e.  As  the  inllrumentality  of  earthly  princes  and  potentates 
was  ufed  in  the  promoting  of  this  apoftacy,  fo,  at  his  down- 
fall, and  the  advancement  of  Christ's  kingdom  on  his  ruins, 
the  characters  of  chefe  fame  earthly  potentates  would  be 
changed,  and  they  would  equally  exercife  their  power  in  liib- 
ferviency  to  the  caufe  and  intereft  of  the  Redeemer.  Chrif- 
tian rulers  may,  no  doubt,  do  much  to  promote  the  caufe  of 
Christ  and  the  intereft  of  religion  by  their  examp]e,andbleff- 
ed  be  God  that  our  rulers  are  not  abfolutely  prohibited  from 
fetting  a  chriftian  example  in  private  life,  and  that  a  regard 
for  the  chriftian  religion  is  not  as  yet  confidered  as  an  abfo- 
iute  difqualification  for  office.      But  I  conceive  that  chiiftiaa 


1: 


i 


1 5 


V 


1^ 


':.  ( 


32 

rulers  arc  !)c)und  to  countenance  and  fupport  religion  in  other 
ways  than  merely  by  f'etting  a  chriftian  ex  unple.  I'hey  are  not 
to  act  the  part  of  athcills,  or  of  men  abfolutely  indiflerent  to 
all  religion  in  their  public,  any  more  than  in  their  private  ca- 
paciry.  While  idolatrous  nations  were  deadfall  in  their  falfj 
worlhip,  Goo  blames  his  people  for  apoftatifmg  from  the  tru-:; 
worlhlp  of  God,  and  changing  their  glory  tor  that  which  did 
not  profit.  This  entire  feparation  of  every  thing  which  be- 
longs to  reUgion  from  civil  g(wernment,  and  the  duties  of  the 
maoillrate  from  reliij;ion,  is  a  ch mc^inr^  of  the  true  reU^ion  not 
for  another,but  for  no  religion  at  all.  Indeed  it  goes  to  make 
magiftrates  and  rulers  refemble,  in  their  public  capacity,  Dan- 
iel's wilful  king,  wiio  was  neither  to  regard  the  God  of  his 
father?,  the  dehre  of  women,  nor  any  God. 

An  idea  has  been  already  fuggefted,  which  it  may  not  be 
amifs  again  to  bring  into  view,  i.  e.  that  if  we  trace  this  prin- 
ciple to  its  fource  it  will  be  found  to  have  originated,  not  in 
a  regard  to  the  parity  of  chriftianity,  or  a  fear  leaft  it  fliould 
be  contaminated  by  the  maxims  of  worldly  policy,  but  in  a 
delire  to  overthrow  it.  Infidels  have  been  both  the  firft  and 
warmeft  advocates  for  this  unhmited  toleration  ;  this  unre- 
ftrained  circulation  of  all  opinions  for  and  againfi:  religion  ; 
and  this  entire  indifference  on  the  part  of  government,  with 
a  view  to  obtain  the  greater  facility  to  circulate  their  own  : 
thinking;  no  doubt  that  that  art  and  craft,  in  the  ufe  of  which 
they  have  proved  themfelves  fuch  experienced  adepts,  would 
be  an  overmatch  for  golpel  funplicity.  Hence  their  unweari- 
ed endeavours  to  render  chriftianity  contemptible  and  even 
odious,  that  it  may  be  the  more  eaiily  fuppreiled.  Men  of 
honeft  minds  and  upright  intentions,  being  either  deceived 
by  their  fubcilty  or  not  fufpecling  their  real  intentions,  have 
joined  in  the  popular  cry  of  Uberty,  toleration,  au.i  itie  en- 
tire feparation  of  government  from  every  thing  that  is  con- 
nected with  religion.  But  it  is  natural  that  the  fruit  grow- 
ing on  fuch  a  tree  Ihould  excite  fufpicion.  If  religion  is  un- 
worthy tlie  attention  of  the  government  of  a  nation,  a  very 
natural  inference  is,  that  it  is  of  little  coi\fequence  in  inielf, 
and  that  it  will  ioofe  much  Oi  its  influence  on  public  morals. 
mvcany  of  the  rukrs  or  of  the  Fharisecs  bdicvjdyWi  \  ^xy  old  ob- 


■i     '. 


)n  in  other 
ley  are  not 
iittercnt  to 
private  ca- 
their  falfj 
m  the  true 
which  did 
which  be- 
lies of  the 
4igion  not 
es  to  make 
city,  D.m- 
)D  of  his 

lay  not  be 
;  this  prin- 
3d,  not  in 
I  it  fliould 
,  but  in  a 
3  fir  ft  and 
this  unre- 
;  religion  ; 
lent,  with 
leir  own  : 
3  of  which 
)ts,  would 
r  unweari- 
:  and  even 
Men  of 
r  deceived 
ons,  have 
lid  Ltie  en- 
at  is  con- 
mi  t  ?jjrow- 
;iijn  is  un- 
m,  a  very 
?  ia  inielf, 
lie  morals. 
:ry  old  ob- 


33 

jodion  againft  religion,  and  it  hath  its  influence  ftill.  The 
progrefs  from  indiiference  lo  either  fecret  or  open  oppofition, 
or  even  to  perfecution,  is  natural  and  eafy. 

I  am  fenfible  that  I  fliall  be  here  met  with  the  cry  of  bigot- 
ry, intolerance,  and  a  perfecuting  fpirit.     This  cry  is  '.vithout 
foundation.     Were  I  advocating  the  elevation  of  one  fed  of 
profefled  Chrjftians,   to  the  depreffion  of  all  others,  there 
might  be  fome  ground  for  the  clamour.      So  far  is  this  from 
being  the  cafe,  that  I  have  no  wifh  to  difturb  any  clafs  of  cit- 
izens, whether  Jews,  Mahometans,   or  even  Infidels,  in  the 
enjoyment  of  their  civil  rights,   while  they  demean  them- 
felves  peaceable,  much  lefs  to  elevate  one  feci  of  profefled 
Chriftians  above  another.      A  portion  of  real  chriftianity, 
doubtlefs,  is  to  be  found  in  different  feels,    and  every  chrif- 
tian  fed  holding  to  the  great  principles  of  chriftian  morality, 
and  the  future  accountability  of  man,however  fome  of  their  o- 
pinions  may  be  erroneous  and  even  abfurd,may  yet  hold  to  all 
thofe  principles  of  religion  which  are  neceflary  to  the  fafety, 
and  conneded  with  the  ftability  of  civil  government.     All  I 
plead  for  is,  that,   as  it  is  impofllble  for  government  to  exifl: 
without  calling  in  the   aid  of  religion,  fo  if  the  chriftian  re- 
ligion  is  the  true  religion,  it  ought  to  be  acknowledged  and 
fupported  in  our  national  capacity,  at  lesft  fo  far  as  to  declare 
ourfelves,  by  fome  public  national  ad,  to  be  a  chriftian  na- 
tion.    But  to  place  a  lyftem  of  atheifm,  or  one  fo  near  it  as 
to  cancel  all  moral  obligation,  even  the  obligation  of  an  oath, 
and  to  obliterate  ail  diftindion  between  virtue  and  vice,  on 
the  fame  footing  with  chriftianity,  is  not  merely  to  betray 
the  caufe  of  Christ  into  the  hands  of  its  enemies,  but  to  un- 
hinge the  bonds  of  civil  fociety,  and  to  let  men  loofe  like 
Tygers  to  devour  one  another. 

But  the  popular  fyftem  of  the  day,  which  is  to  diflblve  all 
conne(5lion  between  civil  government  and  the  religion  of  a 
country,  does  not  flop  at  mere  indifference  about  religion,  but 
goes  a  ftep  father.  It  places  chriftianity  in  the  back  ground, 
and  as  refpefts  one  clafs  of  men,  at  leaft,is  not  perfedtly  free 
from  that  fyftem  of  perfecution  it  profefies  to  abhor.  When 
a  particular  clafs  of  men,  poflbfling,  perhaps,  at  leaft  an  equal 
fliare  of  virtue  and  intelligence  wkh  the  fame  number  of  their 

E 


•I 


I 


>R3Wte«tf^^a^-» 


B.ea»aBa^_         ^,jMM!S^^^i!«<i3aSi^iSIM&iiM^tbtj£iM,!ktMmeiskUaailtlai^Sf' 


d^ 


34 


'.j»  V 


■( 


fellow  citizens  of  any  other  clafs,   and  important  at  leaft,  if 
not  abfolutely  neceflary  for  the  due  adminiftration  of  chrif- 
tian  inftitutions,  are,  in  a  nation  calling  itfeU  chriftian,  dc 
prived  of  any  of  the  common  privileges  of  citizens,  it  mult 
be  a  fpecies,   a  fniall  degree  at  leaft,  of  perfecution.     Of  all 
the  n-rhts  of  citizens,  the  right  of  property  is  one  of  the  moft 
unaii  liable.    No  fpecies  of  property  can  be  confidered  as  more 
abfoluely  a  man's  own  than   his  perfonal  fervices.      Gofpel 
iTiiiiiftcrs  ill  particular  inuft,   if  faithful,   devote  their  time, 
f!»eir  talents,  and  their  perfonal  fervices,  to  the  proper  bufi- 
ii  fs  o^' their  c?.' ling.     To  fiy  that  this  clafs  of  men  neither 
h  ive,  TioY  ot  right  ought  to  iiavc  any  legal  claim  to  remuner- 
ation for  their  perfonal  fervices,  but  muft  either  devote  their 
time  and  talents  to  the  work  gratis,   or  be  dependent  upon 
the  cold  hand  of  charily  for  their  fupport,  is  to  place  them 
in  a  fituation  dilfLrent  from  that  of  every  other  clafs  of  men, 
by  impofing    upon    them  peculiar   hardfhips,   and   fubjedt- 
ing   theni  to    difabiUties  not   impofed  upon   any  other  clafs 
of  citizens.     What  other  clafs  of  men  would  be  willing,  either 
to  bellow  th(?ir  perfonal  fervices  upon  the  public,  for  the  prin- 
cipal part  cf  ti  i^ir  lives,  without  compenfation,  or  depend  for 
that  compeniaiion  on  mere  voluntary  contributions,  furnifh- 
ed  either  by  the  cold  hand  of  charity,  or  the  colder  calcula- 
tions of  avarice  ?    But  is  it  not  true  that  the  laws  of  feveral 
ftates  afford  no  protection  to  this  mod  facred  property  of  this 
clafs  of  men  j  and  that  the  little  ftiadow  of   legal  fecurity 
which  is  enjoyed  in  other  ftates,  is  a  theme  of  conftant  clam- 
our and  a  fubjecl  of  almoft  incellant  attack,  and,  if  we  may 
calculate  on  prefent  appearances,  will  not  be  of  long  duration. 
I  fay  not  thefe  things  from  an  imprefllon  that  minifters  of 
the  gofpel  have  any  caufe  to  defpair  of  the  care  and  protection 
of  their  mafter,  or  that  they  ought  to  flirink  even  from  fuf- 
fering  in  his  caufe.     My  aim  is  merely  to  Ihow  that  this  dif- 
pofttion  to  throw  the   chriftian  religion  and  its  minifters  out 
of  the  protection  of  the  law,  is  a  manifeft  dereliction  of  duty, 
on  the  part  of  the  government  of  a  nation  laying  any  claim 
to  the  character  of  a  chriftian  nation,  and  carries  the  point  of 
indifference  about  religion  farther  than  any  fuppofed  impar- 
tiality will  warrant,  and  does  not  merely  flow  from  a  want  of 


t  leaft,  if 

of  chrif- 
ftian,  dc- 
5,  it  muft 
I.  Of  all 
F  the  moft 
d  as  more 
Gofpel 
leir  time, 
oper  bufi- 
n  neither 

reniuner- 
ivote  their 
lent  upon 
lace  them 
fs  of  men, 
\  fubjeft- 
jther  clafs 
ing,  either 
r  the  prin- 
lepend  for 
;,  furnilh- 
er  calcula- 

of  feveral 
rty  of  this 
il  fecurity 
lant  clam- 
f  we  may 
J  duration, 
inifters  of 
protection 

from  fuf- 
t  this  dif- 
nifters  out 
)n  of  duty, 

any  claim 
lie  point  of 
fed  impar- 
n  a  want  of 


35 

religion,  but  is  a  real  acl  of  oppofition  to  it,  on  tlic  part  of 
the  government. 

It  is  true,  it  may  be  fald  that  this  irreligious  feature  in  our 
national  gn  rnmont  might  be  remedied,  if  in  our  eleaions 
ot  men  to  fill  the  ieveral  departments  we  were  generally  to 
ad:  up  to  the  chriftian  character,  by  feleding  for  places  of  pub- 
lic truft  not  only  men  of  probity,  but  men  known  to  have  a 
confcientious  regard  to  religion,  i.  e.  If  public  fentiment  did 
not  at  all  partake  of  the  fpirit  of  the  government,  which  is 
itfelf  an  expreilion  of  public  fentiment,  then  the  defeds  of 
the  government  might  be  remedied.  But  is  fuch  an  event  as 
this  rationally  to  be  expefted  ?  Is  it  not  much  more  probable 
that  the  genius  and  fpirit  of  the  nation  will  participate  large- 
ly  in  the  irreligious  features  of  the  Government  ?  Had  not 
this  fpirit  prevailed  in  the  nation,  at  the  time  when  the  con- 
ftitution  was  formed,  it  is  not  probable  that  fuch  a  feature  in 
the  government  would  have  ever  exifted.  When  it  exills  in 
the  head,  what  can-  we  exped  but  that  it  will  diffufe  itfelf  a- 
mong  the  branches  ?  Has  not  what  it  was  reafonable  to  anti- 
cipate been  verified  in  fact  ?  Tell  it  not  in  Oath,  publKh  it 
not  in  the  ftreets  of  Aflikelon,  that  men  profefllng  to  re^rard 
chriflianity  and  chriftian  inftitutions  fhould  be  found  to  ad- 
vocate the  fentiment,  that  a  regard  to  chriflianity  is  neither  a 
neceflary  nor  a  very  important  qualification  for  a  ruler  in  a 
chriftian  country,  and  that  a  chriftian  does  not  ad  a  part  in- 
confiftent  with  a  fmcere  and  confcientious  regard  to  the  reli- 
gion he  profelTes,  in  being  inftrumental  in  elevating  a  man, 
openly  profefting  himfelf  to  be  an  infidel,  to  the  higheft  place 
of  public  truft,  among  a  people  ftill  claiming  the  character  of 
a  chriftian  nation.  The  practice  of  many  Ts,  as  it  might  be 
expected,  agreeable  to  the  principle  thus  openly  avowed.  It 
is  to  be  lamented  that,  in  many  inftances,  we  fee  infidels,  men 
equally  without  religion  and  without  morals,  elevated  to  the 
moft  important  places  of  truft,  places  which  fix  them  in  a 
fituation  in  which  they  can  do  the  greateft  injury  to  that  re- 
ligion which  they  contemn,  both  by  their  influence  and  exam- 
ple. It  is  a  maxim  of  eternal  truth,  equally  applicable  to  all 
times,  places  and  nations,  but  more  efpecially  to  a  people  pof- 
feftin^  the  privilege  of  fw^leding  rulers  by  their  own  free  fuf. 


*i 


it 


If 


I: 

it 

I 


8 


6 


Irage,  that,  J'fZ'^w  //j^  righteous  are  in  authority  the  people  rejoice^ 
but  when  the  wicked  bcareth  rule  the  people  mourn.  That  an  infi- 
del, as  fuch,  fhould  wilh  to  inveft  perlbns  oF  his  own  moral 
and  religious  complexion  with  important  oflices  is  naturally  to 
be  expeded.  It  will  afford  him  an  additional  advantaj^e  for 
oppofing  that  religion  which  he  wifhes  to  undermine  and  de- 
ftroy.  But  that  a  Chriflian,  one  whofe  coniiant  wilh  and 
daily  prayer  is  for  the  advancement  of  the  kingdom  of  Chkis  r, 
fhould  wifli  to  elevate  either  an  athcift,  an  infidel,  or  a  man 
grofsly  and  fiagitioufly  immoral,  to  a  fituation  which  will  give 
him  an  opportunity  to  do  the  gfeateft  injury  to  that  religion, 
both  by  his  influence  and  example,  which  he  himfelf  profeif- 
es  to  love  and  efteem,  isS  one  ot  thofe  unaccountable  infatua- 
tions, which,  it  would  feem,  could  only  influence  the  minds 
of  thofe  who  are,  in  this  particular  at  loaft,  given  up  to  flrong 
delufldns  to  believe  a  lie.  Indeed  it  feems  very  much  like  a 
voluntary  furrender  of  the  caufe  into  the  hands  of  its  ene- 
mies, if  not  a  Judas  like  betraying  of  the  Son  of  man  with  a 
kifs.  A  deift,  or  an  infidel  as  fuch,  can  be  viewed  in  no  oth- 
ier  light  than  as  an  enemy  to  the  chriftian  religion  and  its  pro- 
feffors.  Had  he  the  power,  and  did  not  the  maxims  of  world- 
ly policy  forbid  it,  he  would  extirpate  every  veftige  of  chrif- 
tianity  from  the  face  of  the  earth.  Whatever  may  be  the  va- 
riety of  opinions  among  the  oppofers  of  chriilianity,  and  the 
different  fliades  between  immortal  deifts,  or  deifl:s  vvho  be- 
lieve in  a  future  fl.ate,  and  abfoliite  atheilb,  are  very  numer- 
ous J  enmity  to  the  Gofpel  is  the  only  point  in  which  they 
all  agree.  In  this  they  imitate  the  feveral  feds  of  antient 
philofophers,  and  the  votaries  of  thevafl:  number  of  pretend- 
ed deities  in  the  heathen  world.  Thefe  could  give  the  molt 
unbounded  and  unlimited  toleration  to  one  another,  that: 
they  might  unite  aU  their  forces  to  bear  down  chriftianity  a- 
lone.  So  it  is  with  infidels  of  differenL  ftiades.  Their  own 
differences  of  opinion  are  almofl:  infinite.  Oppofition  to  chrif- 
tianity is  their  only  point  of  union.  Jo  this  object  they  bend 
all  their  forces,  and  the  reafon  is  obvious.  Chrifl:ianity  can 
enter  into  no  compromife  with  its  oppofers,  any  more  than 
it  could  with  the  feveral  claffes  of  idol  worihippers  ot"  old.— 
What  concord  hath  Christ  wi^h  Belial  ?  What  fart  hath  he  that 


m\ 


t    r    V 


oplc  rejoice^ 
lat  an  infi- 
)vvn  moral 
aturally  to 
intaq;«  for 
nc  and  de- 

wilh  and 
jf  CiiKisr, 

or  a  mail 
h  will  p;ive 
It  religion, 
elf  profeif- 
)le  infatua- 
tlic  niindii 
p  to  llroDf; 
ucli  like  a 
\  its  ene- 
iian  with  a 

in  no  oth- 
,nd  its  pro- 
5  of  world- 
e  of  chrif- 

be  the  va- 
y,  and  the 
:s  vvho  be- 
jry  numer- 
^hich  they 
of  antient 
3f  pretend- 
J  the  molt 
other,  that 
'iftianity  a- 
Thelr  own 
)n  to  chrif- 

they  bend 
ianity  can 
more  than 
s  of  old. — • 
lib  hi3  that 


37 

helieveth  with  an  itijidd?  The  very  infnlci  uill  firft  come  with 
the  fong  of  mutual  forbearance  in  his  mouth.  This  c.int  frp- 
quently  gains  ground  in  public  opinion,  by  the  conlidcratiori 
that  different  feels  of  profelled  chrillians  have  fncjuently  ex- 
crcifed  too  little  forbearance  towards  one  anr)ther.  In  avoid- 
ing  one  extreme,  it  is  natural  to  run  into  another.  This  cant, 
when  coming  from  the  mouth  of  an  infidel,  means  more  than 
is  exprefled.  It  is  ufed  merely  as  a  decoy  to  gain  time  and 
ftrength,  that  he  may  obtain  the  greater  advantage  againft  tlio 
whole.^  What  kind  of  toleration  chriftianity  may  expec't, 
when  infideUtyis  completely  triumphant,  has  been  exempli- 
fied in  France  during  the  bloody  era  of  the  republic.  They 
began  with  the  fo ft, deceptive  language  of  charity  and  forbear- 
ance. But  how  loon  was  the  tone  changed  to  tliat  of  violence 
and  blood  !  Chriilianity  in  every  form  of  it  was  profcribed  ; 
the  churches  either  fliut  up,  or  appropriated  to  the  moft  pro- 
fane ules  ;  the  chriftian  fabbath  abolifhcd,  and  the  minifters  of 
religion,  without  any  regard  to  fecfl  or  denomination,  either 
maffacred,  profcribed,  or  driven  into  banifhmenr.  This  was 
precifely  what  Voltaire,  the  arch  apoftle  of  infidelity,  wanted. 
While  he  was  daily  chaunting  in  public  the  foft  melifluou-j 
ftrain  of  toleration,  he  could  tell  his  confidential  friends,  that, 
if  he  had  one  hundred  thoufand  men  at  his  command,  he 
would  know  what  to  do.  The  unwearied  endeavors  to  ren- 
der chriif  ianity  odious  and  contemptible,  by  uttering,  pub- 
lilhing,  and  often  repeating  the  blacked  calumnies,  are  only 
prefatory  to  harfher  means  to  fupprcfs  it,  ihould  ever  power 
and  expediency  unite  in  the  meafure.  I  cannot  therefore  but 
view  the  contempt  fliown  to  chriilianity  by  the  national  gov- 
ernment itfelf,  and  the  treachery  to  the  caufe  of  religion,'  dif- 
covered  in  the  encouragement  given  to  infidelity,  by  the  ele- 
vation  of  men  of  luch  fentiments  and  correfpondent  pracfice*, 
to  fome  of  the  moft  important  places  of  public  truft,  as  one  (*f 
the  national  abominations  of  the  prefent  day,  for  which  w^; 
have  reafon  to  apprehend  that  O.  d  will  vifit  u<?.  He  has  fe- 
verely  vifited  other  nations  for  finiilar  crimes,  and  can  we  ex- 
pect to  efcape  ? 

It  is  an  obfervation,  of  late  frequently,  and  probably  juftly 
made,  in  relation  to  the  calamities   which  have  overfpread  fu 


I 


'■!i. 


8 


large  a  portion  of  Europe,  that  they  have  hitherto  fallen  moft 
heavily  on  Roman  Catholic  countries.    Thefe  calamities  have 
not  been  confined  to  the  civil  and  political,  but  have  extended 
to  the  ecclcfiaftical  ftatc  of  thefe  countries.  There  infidelity  has 
jT.ade  the  nioft  rapid  ftrides,  and    the  earthly  head  of  that 
church  has  been  deprived  of  all  power  to  proted  himfelf. — 
This  amonpr  other  things,  is  an  evidence  that  we  are  approach- 
ing to  the  latter  times,  or  towards  the   clofe  of  the  twelve 
hundred  and  fixty  proplietic  days  ;  at  the  end  of  which   mys- 
tical Babylon  is  to  be  caft  into  the  fea,  as  a  mighty  millftone, 
to  be  heard  no  more  at  all.     But  although  catholic  countries 
have,  as  yet,  drunk  moft  deeply   of  the  cup  of  indignation, 
thofe  nominally  prottftant,  have  not  cfcsped.     It    is  however 
obfervable,  that  .itnong  proteftant  countries,  thofe  which  have 
imbibed  moft  larg- ly  of  tbe  fpirit  of  infidelity,  efpecially  thofe 
flates  where  it  has  l.^cen    xhe  moft  countenanced   by  the  gov- 
ernment, and  in  txiat  way  become  by  way  of  eminence,  a  na- 
tional fin,  who  have  been  thegreateft  fufferers.  Holland  forin- 
ftance  was  a  proteftant  cc»untry,  and    flie  has  been    made    to 
drink  deep  of  the  bitter  cup.     But  may  we  not   read  the  na- 
tional fin  of  Holland  in  h<!r  punilhment  ?     Holland,  infatuated 
Holland,  by  means  of  he  r  hcentious  and  polluted  preffes,  gave 
currency  and  publicity  io  the  atheiftical  blafphemies  of  Vol- 
taire, D'Alembert,  Diderot,   and  their  affociates,  which  have 
had  fuch  a  powerful,   and  in  many  places  fatal    influence,  in 
diforganizing  focieties,  demoralizing  the  world,  and  even  fap- 
ping  the  foundation  of  ibcial  and  domeftic  happineis.     She  is 
now  reapingthe  natural  &  bitter  fruits  of  thefe  principles.   She 
has  been  long  bleeding  at  every  pore,been  ftript  of  her  wealth 
^nd  national  confcquence,  and  is  now   fuffering  the  extreme 
of  an  unfeeling,  unrelenting  defpotifm.     But  Holland  was  the 
advocate  for  the  free  antJ  unlimited  toleration,  and  unreftrain- 
ed  circulation  of  all  opinions  for  or  againft   religion.     Papift 
and  proteftant,  infidel  aid  atheift,  were  all   placed  on  an  e- 
qual  footing.     If  there  v'as  any  diiference,  it  was  in  favor  of 
elevating  irreligion  and  blafphemy,   to  the  prejudice  of  the 
chriftian  religion.      Pruflia  was   alfo  nominally  a  proteftant 
country,  but  her  principles,  both   religious  and  moral,  had 
been  greatly  debafed.     The  deiftical  principles  of  the  great 
Frederick,  and  the  loofe  and  corrupt  fyftem  of  morals,  coiJin^- 


alien  moft 
lities  have 
I  extended 
fidelity  has 
,d  of  that 
himfelf, — 
'  approach - 
he  twelve 
hich  mys- 
•  millftone, 
;  countries 
idignaiion. 
Is  however 
vhich  have 
cially  thofe 
\y  the  gov- 
ence,  a  na- 
iand  for  in- 
made    to 
2ad  the  na- 
,  infatuated 
reffes,  gave 
lies  of  Vol- 
:hich  have 
ifluence,  in 
d  even  fap- 
?fs.     She  is 
ciples.  She 
her  wealth 
le  extreme 
nd  was  the 
unreftrain- 
3n.     Papift 
d  on  an  e- 
in  favor  of 
lice  of  the 
proteftant 
moral,  had 
'   the  great 
)rals,  coiJin^- 


39 

tenanced  by  his  court,  did  more  to  debafe  the  charafter  of  the 
nation,  than  ever  the  fplendor  of  his  victories  did  to  promote 
its  political  elevation.  Now  Pruflia  is  almoft  obliterated  from 
the  lift  of  independent  nations.  Even  that  fliadow  of  inde- 
pendence  which  fhe  poffelTes,  is  abfolutely  dependent  on  the 
nod  of  Napoleon.  Whenever  he  confiders  it  for  his  intereft 
he  can  annihilate  it  with  a  breath.  Should  ever  like  cauies' 
predominate  in  the  United  States,  fimilar  efTecls  may  be  ex- 
peded  as  the  refult.  And  as  our  advantages,  both  relijrious 
moral  and  political,  have  been  greater  than  thofe  of  either 
Holland  or  PruiTia,  have  we  not  reafon  to  apprehend  a  cataf- 
trophe  ftill  more  dreadful,  unlefj  averied  by  repentance  and 
reformation  ? 


SERMON    II. 

Afternoon—frome  the  same  text, 

I  SHALL  proceed  on  the  fubjecl  begun  in  the  forenoon, 

'^'o^?''^'k  '''rP''T^^^  ""'  repetition.  I  therefore  obferve, 
^  2dly.  1  hat  after  the  remarks  which  have  been  already  made, 
it  may  perhaps  be  deemed  fuperfluous  to  obferve  that  infidelity 
or  a  difbehef  and  rejedion  of  the  Gofpel  is  one  of  the  national 
fins  of  our  and  at  the  prefent  day.  The  prevalence  of  a  fpir- 
It  of  infidelity  m  our  nation  may  be  confidered  as,  in  differ- 
ent  refpects,  both  the  caufe  and  effed  of  that  irreligious  fea- 
ture  in  our  national  government  which  has  been  the  fubied: 
of  the  preceding  remarks.  Had  not  fuch  a  fpirit  been  fo  prev- 
lent  that  it  was  deemed  necefTary  to  enter  into  a  fort  of  a  com- 
promife  vvith  infidehty,  I  can  hardly  induce  myfelf  to  believe 
that  this  feature  in  our  national  government  would  have  ever 
al  umed  the  Ihape  in  which  it  now  appears.  And  this  feature, 
taken  in  connection  with  an  adminiftration  in  ev.^rv  refpec^ 
correfpondent,*  has  had  a  tendency  to  nourilh  thofe  feeds 
which  had  been  before  fo  plentifully  fown,  and  had  begun  to 
vegetate  with  fo  much  luxuriance.     It  is  now  almoft  two  cen- 

*It  is  not  my  Intention  to  fay  that  the  adminiflration  has  been  in  general,ac. 
cription!"'^  ' """'  '^'' ''''  ^^y  ''  ^'"^■^^'y  '^'^  '^  nien  of  that  dif- 


I 


\ 


■| 


■«a.-rwy.t^ijj|g 


40 

furies  fmce  an  attempt  was  made  to  organile  infidelity  into 
a  fyltem  with  the  faicinating  title  of  natural  religion.  The 
fabulous  Proteus  himfelf  never  affumcd,  in  the  fertile  imagin- 
iition  of  a  poet,  fo  many  Ihapes  as  it  has  done  fince  that  time. 
Bat  altho'  this  myftery  of  iniquity  had  long  before  began  to 
work,  it  was  not  uniil  the  laft  century,  nor  indeed  until  after 
the  middle  of  it,  that  it  made  fuch  alarming  progrefs.  This 
fpread  has  perhaps  been  the  mod  general  in  fome  catholic 
countries.  Exclufive  of  a  general  fuperintendance  of  provi- 
iience,  which  has  probab'y  ordained  this  as  one  mean  to  be 
ufed  in  overturning  the  monftrous  fabric  of  the  romifli  hier- 
aachy,  caufes  founded  in  the  nature  of  things  have  had  a  pow- 
erful operation.  In  this  enlightened  and  enquiring  age,  mul- 
titudes in  catholic  coun  ies  have  had  fuflicient  light  and  pen- 
etration to  difcover  the  abfurdity  of  many  of  the  luperftitions 
of  popery.  Thefe  tney  confounded  with  chrillianity  co  which 
they  never  belonged,  and  rejected  the  whole  together.  But 
altho*  the  fpread  of  infidel  principles  may  have  been  the  moft 
extenfive  in  catholic  countries,its  roots  have  ftruck  deep  in  a 
proteftant  foil.  We  have  feen  it  affuming  a  bold  front,  and 
proclaiming  without  a  blufti,  an  intention  to  banifli  chriftiani- 
ty  out  of  the  world,  at  the  fame  time  exprefllng  the  moft  ex- 
ulting: aflurances  of  ultimate  fuccefs.  We  have  feen  barefaced 
atheifm,  rearing  up  its  hydra  head  in  one  nation,  and  attempt- 
ing to  deal  deftrudtion  in  every  dircdion  where  a  veftige  of 
chriftianity  was  to  be  found.  But,  as  I  fliall  have  occafion  to 
introduce  this  fubjecft  again  in  another  part  of  my  difcourfe, 
I  Ihall  make  no  additional  remarks  here. 

Altho'  the  United  States  have  not  gone  all  the  lengths  of 
revolutionary  France  in  her  mad  career  of  atheifm  and  impi- 
ety, yet  its  roots  have  ftruck  deep-  It  is  but  too  certain  that 
in  many  inftances  and  places,  the  chriftian  religion  i?  openly 
contemned,  while  infidelity  is,  with  equal  publicity,  avowed 
without  fliame  and  without  a  blufti ;  and  it  is  not  to  be  doubt- 
ed but  the  fecret  influence  of  thefe  principles,  equally  corrupt 
and  corrupting,  has  been  extended  much  farther  than  the 
open  avowal. '  In  general  the  operation  of  irreligious  princi- 
ples is,  at  firft,  not  only  begun  but  fpread  to  a  confit  erible 
extent  in  fecret.  Strike,  but  bids  the  band,  is  a  ma.\ini  on  whiclj 


!•■ 


lelity  into 
)n.  The 
le  ima2;in- 
that  time. 

began  to 
jntil  after 
?fs.  This 
;  catholic 
of  provi- 
3an  to  be 
nifli  hier- 
ad  a  pow- 
age,  mul- 
;  and  pen- 
Dcrftitions 

CO  which 
er.      But 

the  moft 
deep  in  a 
ront,  and 
chriftiani- 
3  moft  ex- 
barefaced 
i  attempt, 
veftige  of 
ccafion  to 
difcourfe, 

engths  of 
and  impi- 
rtain  that 

i?  openly 
,  avowed 
be  doubt- 
[y  corrupt 

than  the 
us  princi- 
nfu.erible 
on  which 


41 

infidels  have  pradifed  but  too  fuccefsfully  from  time  to  time. 
Like  other  evil  doers,   when  they  firft  begin  to  diffsminate 
their  poifon,  they  hate  the  light  ;  nor  do  thpy  ufually  brinff 
forward  their  principles  to  the  public  until  they  have  been  fo 
far  fpread  and  matured  in  fecret  that  fociety  is  prepared  to 
bear  the  open  avowal.     One  art  which  has  bee  n  praclifed  with 
great  fuccefs  is  to  imprefs   the  public  mind  with  the  belief, 
that  that  which  has  been  ufually  termed  infidelity  is  nothing 
but  a  harmlefs  fpeculation  which  may  be  indulged  without 
guilt  and  with  )ut  danger.     It  is  reprefented  to  be  a  mere  hon- 
eft,  or,  it  may  be,  a  laudable  enquiry  after  truth,  and  as  the 
refult  of  that  enquiry,  that  the  belief  or  rejedion  of  certain 
doc1:rines  is  not  the  effea  of  volition,  but  depends  on  the  na- 
ture and  clearnefs  of  the  evidence  which  has  been  prefented 
to  the  mind.     But  when  divine  infpiration  aiferts  that  he  who 
beheveth  not  ftiall  be  damned,  and  that  an  unbelieving  heart 
is  emphatically  an  evil  heart,  it  prefents  an  idea  to  the  mind 
of  fomething  very  diff*erent  from  that  of  a  harmlefs  fpecula^ 
tion.     The  true  ftate  of  the  matter  appears  to  be,  that  infidel- 
ity has  its  original  rather  in  the  heart  than  the  head,   and  is 
the  fruit  of  a  depraved  difpofition  rather  than  the  diclate  of 
an  erroneous  judgment.      Becaufe  men  do  not  like  to  retain 
God  in  their  knowledge  he  gives  them  up  to  ftrong  delufions 
to  believe  a  lie.      The  foul-humbling  docT:rines  and  the  holy 
and  felf  denying  precepts  of  the  Gofpel  are,in  the  firft  inftance, 
diftiked,  and  to  quiet  the  remonftrances  of  confcience  while 
trampling  on  its  precepts,  the  authenticity  of   the  facred  re* 
cords  is  called  in  queftion.     This  therefore  is  not  only  amor- 
al  evil  but  one  of  the  deepeft  die.     It  is  in  fome  refpecls  the 
root  of  all  evils,  as  it  goes  to  unhinge  every  principle  of  mor- 
als, and  diffolve  every  focial  tie  which  connects  man  either  to 
his  fellow  men  or  to  fociety.     Like  every  other  fpecies  of  im- 
morality,  it  becomes  more  or  lefs  aggravated,   in  proportion 
to  the  feveral  religious  and  moral  advantages  which  people 
enjoy.     The  advantages  for  underftanding  the  evidences,  and 
for  duly  appreciating  the  worth  of  the  chriftian  religion,  en- 
joyed  by  the  people  of  thefe  United  States,  have  been  incom- 
parably greater  than  thofe  with  which  the  French  nation  have 
been  favoured,  where  the  Bible  has  been  ftudioufly  kept  from 


in  I 


42 

the  perulal  of  the  laity,  and  the  pure  and  fimple  doMnes  and 
duties  of  the  gofpel  debafed  by  fupprftition,  and  their  beauty- 
concealed  from  public  view  by  the  inventions  of  men.  It 
does  not  arife  from  the  v^ant  of  evidence  that  the  chriftian 
r.^ligion  has  been  in  any  inftance  dilbelieved.  No  hiftory  was 
ever  better  attefted  than  that  of  the  Gofpel.  And  when  we 
confider  the  wonderful  difplay  of  divine  love  made  to  man, 
in  the  obedience,  death  and  iiifferings  of  the  Redeemer,  as 
well  as  the  benevolent  tendency  of  the  gofpel  fyftem  to  pro- 
mote prefent  and  future  happinefs,  it  is  entitled  to  the  warm- 
eii,  moil  cordial  and  grateful  reception.  But  experience 
torches  us  that  it  feldom  meets  with  that  reception  from  the 
fMld'-en  of  men  to  which  it  is  entitled.  Men  in  every  age 
hav3  been  too  prone  to  imitate  the  Jews  of  whom  our  Lord 
complains,  fayings,  And  ye  will  not  come  to  me  that  ye  may  have 
life.  Whoever  carefully  attends  to  the  prefent  lituation  of 
chrifliinity  in  the  United  States,  and  fees  it  not  only  exclud- 
ed from  all  connexion  with,  or  countenance  and  fupport  from 
the  national  government,  and  equally  excluded  from  fome  of 
the  ftates  and  but  fliirhtly  noticed  in  others,  and,  alfb  obferves 
the  d:?gree  of  carelefl'nefs  and  indifference  prevailing  in  many 
parts  of  the  country,  which  is  in  fome  places  fo  great  that 
you  may  travel  for  days  and  fee  fcarcely  a  veflige,  that  chrif- 
tianity  is  the  religion  publicly  profefTed,  taken  in  connexion 
with  the  too  general  negl&cl  of  chrirtian  inftitutions,  and  the 
proranation  of  the  fabbath,  even  where  there  is  fome  appear- 
ance of  religion,  and  together  with  this,  brings  into  view  the 
general  prevaKnce  of  vice,  as  well  as  the  fmallnefs  of  the 
niinber  of  thofe  who  publicly  own,  and  zealoully  efpoufe  the 
Cinfe  of  Christ,  cannot  but  be  convinced  that  the  roots  of 
infidelity  have  flruck  deep,  and  that  its  fpirit  prevails  fo  ex- 
tenlively  in  the  United  States  as  to  render  it  one  of  our  na- 
tional fins.  When  we  bring  into  view  the  nature  and  import- 
ance of  the  chriftian  religion,  connected  with  the  clearnefs  of 
its  evidences,  may  we  not  confider  the  commination  in  the 
text  as  pertinently  applicable  to  us.  ^hall  I  not  vhitfor  theae 
things  saiih  the  Lord  ?  Shall  not  my  soul  be  avenged  on  such  a  na- 
tion as  this  ? 
^    It  may  be  confidered  as  an  enquiry  of  fome  importance, 


,  ^iiSti 


[Irines  and 
eir  beauty 
men.  It 
(  chriftian 
liftory  was 
when  we 
2  to  man, 
leemer,  as 
m  to  pro- 
the  warm- 
fxperience 
I  from  the 
every  age 
our  Lord 
?  may  have 
tuation  of 
ly  exclud- 
port  from 
m  fome  of 
b  obferves 
g  in  many 
jreat  that 
that  chrif- 
connexion 
s,  and  the 
ne  appear- 
o  view  the 
efs  of  the 
jfpoufe  the 
le  roots  of 
^ails  fo  ex- 
3f  our  na- 
nd  import- 
;learnefs  of 
ion  in  the 
\  it  for  these 
such  a  na- 

nportance. 


Vi 


43 

« 
and  deferying  a  moment's  confideration  in  this  place,  whether 
mfidehty  is  to  be  confidered  as  gaining  or  Joofing  ground  at 
prefent  m  the  United  States  ?   To  anfwer  this  queftion  with 
precifion,  our  information  is  infufficient.     There  are,  howev. 
er,  fome  hopeful  fymptoms  that,  in  many  places,  it  is  rather 
on  the  decline.      In  Tarious  inftances  which  have  come  either 
withm  the  fphere  of  perfonal  obfervation,  or  of  information, 
the  authenticity  of  which  cannot  be  called  in  queaion,  it  ap! 
pears  that  fome  of  its  votaries  have,  by  a  happy  change  in  the 
temper  of  their  minds,   become   the  humble   followers   of 
Christ.     Others  have  been  hopefully  convinced  of  their  er- 
ror,  and  others  have  been  fo  fkr  abaftied  as  to  become  lefs 
bold  and  confident  in  their  oppofition  to  religion.     Perhaps  it 
may  on  general  principles  be  fhid,  that  the  tone  of  infidelity 
has  become  lefs  bold  and  affuming  than  it  was  a  few  years  a- 
go  ;  and  that  the  number,  both  of  real  and  profeffing  Chrif. 
tians,  has  been  hopefully  enlarged.      It  may  ftill  admit  of  a 
doubt  whether  an  increafe  of  zeal  and  activity  in  promoting 
the  caufe  m  private,  while  its  vo'taries  are  waiting  for  a  more 
convenient  time  to  avow  themfelves  openly  to  the  world,  does 
not  fairly  balance  any  diminution  of  boldnefs.    We  have  feen 
that  it  can  affume  any  fliape  to  fuit  the  times.      If  the  crude 
abfurd,  and  vulgar  blafphemies  of  Thomas  Paine  will  not  pafs 
current,  it  can  alTume  a  milder  form,  and  inlinuate  as  much 
of  Its  poifon  as  poffible,  under  the  name  of  Hberal,   rational 
and  catholic  chriftianity  ;  liberal  to  every  clafs  of  opinions 
only  to  the  truth  as  it  is  in  Jefus.      And  whoever  impartially 
examines  fome  of  the  pupular  opinions  in  vogue,  under  the 
name  of  chriftian  dodrines,  will  find  little  elfe  in  them  than 
infidelity  in  difguife. 

But  fhould  tlie  caufe  of  infidehty  be,  in  fome  refpeds,  real- 
ly on  the  decline,  this  will  not  be  fufficient  to  exempt  us  from 
all  fear  of  God's  vifitation  on  that  account.  God  vifits  the 
iniquities  of  the  Fathers  upon  the  Children  to  the  third  and 
fourth  generation.  The  calamities  which  befel  the  Jews, 
which  terminated  in  the  deftrudion  of  Jerufalem  and  the  Tem- 
ple j  the  defolation  of  the  nation,  and  the  feventy  years  cap- 
tivity  in  Babylon,  are  exprelsJy  faid  to  be  for  the  fins  of  Ma- 
naffeh,  and  the  innocent  blood  which  hf»  ^oA 


Kilt-    fn%tr 
IL/  L&  L    X  U  TV 


;lf 


44 


.1 


p  J. 


Ui 


1/ 


mi 
I 


t 


fif  ; 


who  had  arrived  to  maturity  at  that  time  now  furvived.  The 
deftrudion  of  Samaria,  and  the  captivity  of  the  ten  tribes, 
was  alfo  an  event  which  happened  under  one  of  the  leaft  wick- 
ed of  *'..'"*  kingi:.  God  has  alfo  feen  fit  to  make  inquifition 
for  the  \  flied  by  the  houfe  of  Bourbon,  upon  one  of  the 

mod  viii«.>us  of  the  race.  The  oceans  of  blood  fpilt  in  the 
deftru(5lion  and  flaughter  of  the  proteftants,  under  the  aufpi- 
ces  of  Lewis  fourteenth,  have  been  avenged,  not  upon  him- 
filf  but  his  defcendants ;  not  upon  the  individual  body  of  the 
clergy  who  were  the  principal  inftigators  of  that  bloody  work, 
but  upon  their  fucceflbrs  who  never  had,  i  their  own  per- 
fons,  been  guilty  of  the  like  enormity.  Should  God  referve 
his  vifitation  for  this  crime  to  a  time  when  there  was  fome 
abatement  of  the  fpirit  of  infidelity,  we  muft,  in  that  cafe, 
be  conftrained  to  acknowledge  that  the  Judge  of  all  the  earth 
does  right. 

3dly.  Is  not  profanenefs,  I  mean  profane    curling,    fwear- 

ing,  and  blafpheming  the  name  of  God,  a  vice  fo  common  as 

juftly  to  ftamp  it  with  the  name  of  a  national  fm  ?    It  is  un- 

neceflary  to  multiply  words  to  Ihow  this  to  be  a  fm  of  the 

deepell  die.     Scarcely  any  thing  can  argue  a  greater  degree 

of  irreverence  or  contempt  for  the  Deity,  or  more  ftrongly 

mark  the  prevalence  of  atheifm  in  the  human  heart.     It  was 

confidered  by  Jehovah  himfelf  as  a  fm  of  fuch  magnitude  as 

to  entitle  it  to  a  particular  place  among  the  prohibitions  of  the 

decalogue.     Tboujhalt  noi  take  the  name  of  the  Lord  fhy  God  in 

vairiy  for  the  Lord  will  not  hold  him  guiltless  that  takeih  his  name 

in  vain.     In  many  other  places  the  enormity  of  this  crime  is 

painted  in  glowing  colours.     For  the  land  is  full  of  adulterers  ; 

for  became  of  swearing  the  land  mourneth-~]ev.  xxiii,  10.      This 

is  the  curse  that  goeth  forth  over  the  face  of  the  whole  earth  ;  for 

every  one  that  ftealeth  fhall  be  cut  off  as  on  this  side  according  to  it ; 

and  every  one  that  sweareth  Jhall  be  cut  off  on  that  side  according  to 

it — Zfch.  V.  3.     By  swearing  and  lyings  and  hiding  ayid Jiealing^ 

and  committing  adultery^  they  bnak  out,  and  blocd  toucheth  biood  ; 

ihenfore  Jhall  the  land  mourn — Hoi.  iv,  2.      Perhaps  there  is 

not  oiie  among  the  whole  catalogue  of  vices,  for  which  lefs 

can  be  pled  in  excule  than  this.      None  of    the  arguments 

which  axe  urged  in  favour  of  other  fenfual  gratifications  can 


7ived.  The 
ten  tribes, 
leaft  wick- 
inquifition 
one  of  the 
fpilt  in  the 
r  the  aufpi- 
upon  hini- 
)ody  of  the 
)ody  work, 
r  own  per- 
rOD  refer ve 
e  was  fome 
1  that  cafe, 
lU  the  earth 

ng,  fwear- 
common  as 
?    It  is  un- 

fm  of  the 
ater  degree 
)re  ftrongly 
rt.  It  was 
agnitude  as 
tions  of  the 
/  fhy  God  in 
eih  his  nam^ 
his  crime  is 
'  adulter  en  ; 
,  10.      Jhii 

earth  ;  for 
'.or ding  to  it ; 

according  to 
and  Jiealing^ 
cheth  hiood  ; 
ps  there  is 

which  lefs 

arguments 
icatiuns  can 


45 

apply  to  this  fin.     Indeed  it  would  feem  as  if  it  could  afford 
no  other  gratification  than  the  malignant  plealiire  of  finning 
againft  God,  and  perhaps  there  is  fcarcely  one  fin  in  more  di- 
red  hoftility  to  the  fpirit  of  religion  than  this.      It  tends  not 
only  to  leffen,  but  utterly  to  efface  from  the  mind,   all  awe 
and  reverence  of  a  Deity,  and  confequently,  to  l  ffen  the  fo- 
lemnity,  and  render  flight  the  impreflion  of  the  lanctity  of  an 
oath,  and  fo  loofen  the  bonds  and  undermine  the  fecurity  of 
fociety.     Cufl:omary  profane  oaths,  uttered  frequently  about 
trifles,  without  either  folemnity,  thought  or  refleclion,   and 
without  much  regard  to  either  the  truth  or  falfehood  of  what 
is  uttered,  may,  and  no  doubt  often  times  do,  pave  the  way 
for  fuch  cuflomary  perjuries  as  may  endanger  not  only  the! 
property  but  the  lives  of  the  moft  virtuous  citizens.     As  it  is 
a  fin  which  is  immediately  againfl;  God,    fo  it  paves  the  way 
for  atheifm,  blafphemy,  and  every  abomination.    But  heinous 
as  this  fin  is,  the  attentive  obferver  mufl:  be  fenfible  that  it 
prevails  fo  extenfively  in  our  age  and  country,  as  juftly  to  give 
it  the  charader  of  a  national  fin.      On  this  fubjed  I  cannot 
better  exprefs  my  fentiments  than  by  tranfcribing  a  few  paf- 
fages  from  the  PanopUft  for  Feb.   1811,  page  400,  401,  402. 
After  taking  notice  of  the  profanenefs  every  where  prevalent 
in  the  pagan  world,  the  writer  obferves,  "  Our  principal  con- 
cern  in  this  difcufllon  is  with  thofe  nations  in  which  the  gof- 
pel  has  been  preached,  and  fo  far  received  that  the  inhabitants 
have  been  denominated  Chriftians.     The  records  of  hifl:ory, 
the  details  of  private  manners,  and  the  open  teftimony  of 
the  faithful  minillers  of  Christ  in  every  age  and  country, 
warrant  the  aflt?rtion  that  the  prevailing  chara^er  of  fuch  na- 
tions is  that  of  bold  irreclaimable  profanenefs.    The  monarch, 
on  his  throne,  the  courtier  around  him,  the  officers  of  his  ar- 
mies and  fleets,  the  foldiers  and  foilors  under  their  command, 
the  tradefman,  the  artizan,  the  man  of  proftflional  eminence, 
the  voluptuary,  the  country  gentleman,  the  vaffal,  the  beggiir 
on  the  dung  hill,  the  great  mafis  of  the  people  in  Qiort,  ot  ev- 
ery age  and  character,  have  habitually  ufed  the  name  of  their 
Creator  with  irreverence,  with  profanenefs,  and  but  too  often 
have  proceeded  to  blafphemy."  It  is  to  be  admitted  that  to  this 
general  and  gloomy  picTiure  there  are  fome  exceptions.    And 


?f, 


^-a.-c»a.  i.T^^r:^^^SL!ag^?." 


46 

indeedall  may  be  excepted  from  the  chargeof  allowed  and  ha- 
bitual  profanity,  who  have  embraced  the  chriftian  religion  in 
fmcerity  and  in  heart,  together  with  many  others  who  have 
been  reltrained  by  right  reafon  and  the  influence  of  a  religious 
Education.  Tho'  thefe  exceptions  have  exifted  among  all  claffes 
of  perfons  to  the  glory  of  God's  grace,  yet  few  indeed  have  been 
the  inftances  in  which  either  a  chriftian  temper  or  chriftian 
condua,  could  be  juftly  faid  to  be  the  temper  and  condud  of 
a  majority  m  any  nation.     To  fhow  that  profanenefs  is  fo  far 
the  charaaer  ot  this  nation,  as  to  be  juftly  confidered  ana- 
tional  hn,  the  writer  obferves— «  That  a  fm  may  be  faid   to 
prevail  or  to  conftitute  a  national  charac1:er,  when  it  is  open- 
ly,  publicly    and  generally  pradifed,  without  fear,   without 
iname,  without  punifliment  or  rebuke,  or  effeaual  difappro- 
bation.     A  lefs  forcible  difcription  might  authorize  the  epi- 
thet  prevaihng  as  applied  to  a  fm.     But  all  this,  and  more,  can 
be  faid  of  profanenefs  in  this  country.     Let  him  who  doubts 
the  fac%  pafs  with  an  obfervant  ear,  through  the  ftreets  of  our 
great  towns.     Let  him  hear  the  vociferations  of  the  teamfter, 
the  dray  man,  the  failor,  or  the  fiflierman  ;  let  him  frequent 
the  bar-rooms  of  taverns,and  any  other  plac«  where  there  is  a 
promifcuous  mtercourfe  of  all  claffes  of  people  ;  let  him  mark 
what  IS  faid  m  the  boxes  of  the  theatre  ;  let  him  liften  to  the 
Iports  or  the  quarrels  of  boys  in  the  ftreets,  and  let  his  ears  be 
llunnedwith  the  orgies  of  the  gaming  table.  If  he  thinks  great 
towns  an  unfair  fpecimen.as  perhaps  they  are  in  fomerefpeds. 
let  him  get  into  the  ftage  and  pafs  thro'  the  country  in   dif- 
f erent  directions  ;  let  him  obferve  the  converfation  of  his  fel- 
low  travellers,  efpecially  if  they  are  under  no  reftraint   from 
any  of  the  company  ;  let  him  attend  a  country  training,  or  a 
village  ball  ;  let  him  overhear  the  political  difputes  which  oc 

^ZrJZt'^'^'l^T  ^^^'"  ^^^^^  commontalkoftheinhab. 
itants  in  the  new  fettlements  }  let  him  hear  the  daily  lanoua^e 
of  the  inen  who  legillate  for  the  different  communities°thro' 

^J^UK^  fef  r  *  'f  "^l'^'^'  who  execute  the  laws  j  and  af- 
ter  all  this,  let  him  fay  if  he  can,  that  pr.ofanenefs  is  not  the 
charaaer  of  the  nation.  Should  it  be  faid  that  we  have  laws 
againft  profanenefs,  and  that  therefore  it  cannot  be  faid  to  be 
a  prevaihng,  or  a  national  fm.  the  anfwpr  i«  «aA,     ^ru^r^  ...^. 

w  ,         ...  ^.„iy ,      *iiv/ic  very 


id  and  ha- 
eligion  in 
who  have 
I  religious 
I  all  claffes 
have  been 
chriftian 
ondu<ft  of 
^s  is  fo  far 
?red  a  na- 
le  faid   to 
it  is  open- 
without 
difappro- 
;  the  epi- 
nore,  can 
lo  doubts 
2ts  of  our 
teamfter, 
frequent 
there  is  a 
iim  mark 
en  to  the 
is  ears  be 
nks  great 
;  refpefts, 
y  in   dif- 
)f  his  fei- 
nt  from 
ling,  or  a 
vhich  oc- 
he  inhab- 
language 
ies  thro' 
',  and  af- 
{  not  the 
lave  laws 

lid  to  be 
^f 

■VIC  vciy 


47 

laws  when  viewed  in  conneaion  with  the  manner  in  which 
they  are  executed,  afford  demonttrative  evidence  that  the 
melancholy  view  which  has  been  taken  of  the  fubjeft  is  the 
true  one.  Many,  perhaps  all  the  ftates  in  the  union*  have 
plain,  peremptory  ftatutes  againft  profanenefs.  Yet,  with 
thofe  laws  prominent  on  their  ftatute  books,  it  is  doubted 
whether  there  is  a  lingle  town  in  the  American  republic, 
where  they  are,  or  can  be  executed.  Why  ?  Not  becaufe 
there  are  not  fome,  both  magiftrates  and  people,  who  would 
gladly  do  all  in  their  power  to  have  thefe  falutary  reftraintc 
put  in  force,  but  becaufe  the  multitudes  of  the  community  are 
willing  to  fee  them  violated  and  trampled  in  the  duft,  and  be. 
cauie,  in  their  overwhelming  majority  are  included  a  full  pro- 
portion  of  the  rich,  the  influential,  and  thofe  who  ouf'ht  to 
Aand  as  a  rock  againft  the  floods  of  immorality  which  are 
pouring  in  upon  us."  Thus,  when  profanenefs  pollutes  the 
hall  of  our  legiflators,  when  it  finds  its  way  on  the  benches 
in  our  Jiigheft  courts  of  juftice,and  all  laws  for  its  prevention 
are  rendered  abortive  by  the  peculiar  ftate  of  public  opinion, 
more  I  think  needs  not  to  be  faid  to  prove  it  to  be  a  national 
fin.  The  Lord  will  not  hold  him  guiltlefs  who  taketh  his 
name  in  vain.  He  will  not  hold  the  individual  guiltlefs  on 
that  great  and  folemn  day  of  trial,  when  all  muft  appear  be- 
fore  the  judgment  feat  of  Christ.  He  will  not  hold  the  na- 
tion  guiltlefs,  but  will  furely  vifit  for  thefe  things,  when  he 
vifits  their  fins  upon  a  people. 

4.  Another  evil  which  I  cannot  but  confider  as  one  of  the 
national  fins  of  the  prefent  day,is  the  profanation  of  the  Lord's 
day.  Here  I  fhall  occafionally  make  ufe  of  fome  of  the  obfer- 
vations  of  the  fame  writer  in  the  Panoplift.  The  inilitution 
of  afabbath  was  for  the  moft  benevolent  purpofes  ;  and  is,  in 
its  nature  calculated  to  promote  both  the  fpiritual  and  tem- 
poral happinefs  and  comfort  of  the  children  of  men.  In  a 
teniporal  view,  it  is  undoubtedly  calculated  for  comfort,  and 
is,  in  a  degree,  an  alleviation  pf  that  part   of  the  curfe  which 

dooms  man  to  acquire  his  bread  by  the  fvveat  of  his  brow. 

It  gives  him  one  day  in  feven  for  reft  and  repofe,  to  repair  the 
decays  of  nature,  both  in  man  and  beaft  ;  and  it  is  ftill  more 
immediately  calculated  for  our  fpiritual  comfort,  as  it  is  ap- 


ly 


]: 


■i 


:  1 


48 


pointed  on  purpofe  to  lead  the  human  mir.d  off  from  the  things 
of  this  lower  world  to  the  immediate  contemplation  of  the 
divine  perfections,  and  of  that  refl  which  remaineth  for  the 
people  of  God.  No  one  command  of  the  decalogue  is  guard- 
ed by  more  fevcre  fanctions  than  this.  None,  the  violation 
of  which  was  more  feverely  punifhed.  The  religious  obferva- 
tion  of  the  fabbath  is  not  merely  enj«nned  by  the  fan<5lion  of 
fevere  penalties  ;  the  obforvation  of  it  is  alfo  recommended 
by  many  precious  proniifes.  Of  thefe  I  fhall  notice  only  the 
following,  Ifai.  Iviii.  13, 14.  If  thou  turn  away  thy  foot  from  the 
sabbath^  from  doing  thy  pleasure  on  my  holy  day  ;  and  call  the  sab- 
bath a  delight ^t he  holy  of  the  Lord,  honorable  ;  and  shalt  honor  Him, 
not  doing  thine  own  ways^  norjinding  thine  own  pleasure,  nor  speak* 
ing  thine  own  words :  Then  shalt  thou  delight  thyself  in  the  Lord, 
and  I  wdl  cause  thee  to  ride  upon  the  high  places  of  the  earth,  and 
feed  thee  with  the  heritage  of  Jacob  thy  father,  for  the  mouth  of  the 
Lord  hath  spoken  it.  In  the  brief  hints  which  it  will  be  practi* 
cable  to  make  at  prefent,  there  will  be  no  room  for  contro- 
verfy,  either  in  relation  to  the  morality  of  the  fourth  com- 
mandment, or  to  the  change  of  the  time  from  the  feventh  to 
the  firft  day  of  the  week  (ince  the  refurredlion  of  Christ.  I 
merely  obferve,  that  the  fame  moral  reafons  for  the  obferva- 
tion  of  a  day,  devoted  to  the  immediate  worftiip  and  fervice 
of  God,  not  only  exifl,  but  have  equal  force  under  the  Gof- 
pelthat  they  had  during  the  exiflence  rf  the  Mofaic  econo- 
my. The  fame  Go'j  is  to  be  worfhipped.  And  to  keep  up 
in  the  human  mind  a  fenfe  of  the  preft  nee  of  the  objedl  of 
worfliip,  and  of  the  obligations  we  are  under  to  render  unto 
the  Author  of  our  being,  that  homage  and  adoration  which  is 
His  due.  There  is  the  fame  need  of  a  fet  time  to  be  appro- 
priated to  this  worfliip  now,  that  there  was  under  the  law.- 
The  refurreclion  of  Christ,  connected  with  his  perfeding  the 
work  of  redemption,  and  entering  into  his  reft,  is  an  ev  nt 
of  at  leaft  equal  importance  to  point  out  the  firft  day  of  the 
\veek,as  the  day  proper  tobeobf.-rvedunder  the  Gofpe!,aswas 
either  God*s  refting  from  his  labors  after  the  fix  days*  crea- 
tion, which  was  referred  to  from  the  beginning,  as  a  reafon 
why  the  obfervation  of  ?  fabbath  was  enjoined,  or  the  deliv- 
erance cut  of  Egypt,  which  feems  to  be  referred  to  as  ^  rea- 


1 


1 1 


the  things 
ion  of  the 
eth  for  the 
e  is  guard- 
e  violation 
us  obferva- 
fan<5lion  of 
Dmmended 
e  only  the 
foot  from  the 
call  the  sab' 
honor  Him, 
?,  nor  speak" 
in  the  Lord, 
€  earth,  and 
outh  of  the 
1  be  practi* 
for  contro- 
)urth  com- 
feventh  te 
ZIhrist.  I 
he  obferva- 
and  fervice 
T  the  Gof. 
faic  econo- 
to  keep  up 
e  objedl  of 
nder  unto 
:)n  which  is 
3  be  appro- 
r  the  law.- 
rfediing  the 
IS  an  ev  nt 
day  of  the 
ofpe!,as  was 
days*  crea- 
as  a  reafon 
the  dehv- 
to  as  'd.  rea- 


49 

fon  for  tha  obfervation  of  the  jewin.  fabbath.  As  the  fabbath 
was  mftitutecl  for  the  moft  benevolent  purpofe,  both  as  a 
day  devoted  to  the  immediate  worihin  and  Trvice  o  God 
and  as  a  day  of  reft  from  thofe  labours  to  which  mn  is  doom! 
ed  dur.ns  the  other  fix  days  of  the  week  ;  fo,  vvl'erever X 
day  has  been  reliRiouOy  and  confcientioufly  obferved  Tt  h^ 
ienTe  ofcon"!'™'"."  ^'"  moft  valuable  eLu    The  exp" 

ed  the^ru?h  of  ,^h  !^b  '"  '^''^  u^^"^"'^  ^'>"^^h'  ^as  verifi. 
ea  the  tru  h  of  the  oblervation,  that   relimon  always  decline<i 

nellXd"'"!-!::;':.''''?'""'  obferva.ion'^of  the  I.o'rd's  day  1 

ftnai  V  1 .  I  .''' M-' ''^''°  '"'^^''^"^  '»  diminifliihe 
lanctity  and  relax  the  obligation   reli-ioufly  to  obferv-e  the 

i^io  '^'  ""'^  Y^""^^^  '^""'^^'^^^'J  as\elaxlg. religions  ob! 
ligafon  It.  general ;  and  thofe  who  habitually  profane  it  prob- 

tlir^^^^  "°  '"^"  7'^  "■"■•«  effec-tually  fend  thtir'aM  to 
bam(h  chr.ft.an,ty  out  of  the  world.  The  reafon  why  inf" 
delsand  .rre'.gious  men,  of  every  defcription,  have  fliown  fo 
much  anx,ety  to  abolifti  the  fabbath,  is  obvious.      It  would 

chrrar/  'TK"'"lPt'  sained  towards  the  abolition  of 
chnltanity.  When  the  French  revohitionifts  undertook  to 
bamfh  chnftianity  out  of  France,  they  did  not  confider  the 
work  as  done  while  the  fabbath  remained.      The  aboh^ion  of 

decad  's^'°1  •  ^ru'T  "^  "'^^  '^'y-  '"'^  '^'  inftitution  of  the 
decades,  which  hadno  connedion  with  religion,  was  therefore 

an  important  part  of  their  plan  for  the  abolition  of  chrifthnU 

ty.     lo  maintain  for  any  length  of  time  a  juft  fenfc  of  reli?-. 

ion,  without  the  fabbath  and  its  fervices,  will,  on  making  he 

experiment,  be  found  equally  impradicable  ^vith  an  attfmpt 

to  fupport  our  bodies  in  health  without  the  aid  of  neceflkrv 

ouTs  wir'/r;'*1  ?"'""'^^  "''°  ''^^^  """<^''  'heir  endeav^ 
r.hvTl  uy  ?^  ""=  ?"'="''^'  °^  '"="g'°"  i"  attempting  to 
relax  the  obligations  religioufly  to  obferve  the  Lord's  day,  do 
not  confider  how  effeclually  they  are  going  over  to  the  ene- 
niies  camp,  and  contributing  to  their  own  deftrudion.  Christ 
friends  ^        ^'^  evidently  wounded  in  the  houfe  of  fuch 

,hll  .'"u!"'?'"'  ""'!  ^"^^y  '"  '^""'•'^^'"  fome  of  the  evidences, 
that  t^his  IS  one  of  our  national  fins.  A  definition  of  a  nation- 
.1.  iin  iids  ulreatiy  been  given :  i.  e.  a  iin  becomes  national  when 

G 


\^ 


i 


i! 


i'^' 


'<i 


5^ 


! 


50 

rfther  there  is  no  law  to  reftrain  it,  or  the  current  of  public 
eit  ler  tn"«  "  ;  "     .    ,  ^f  it    that  the  law  cannot  be  ex- 

r:X  ';h  n'^  t   f  c'o"-  nX.  openly  m  the  face  of.day  wix^ 
«i,t  (hame  and  without  a  biulh.      U   we  take  a  view  of  the 
fimattn  of  our  country,   we  <  annot  but  be  convinced  that 
fheer<MTeft  profanation  of  the  Lord's  day  .s  thus  "pen  and 
nationa  in  our  land.     Indeed  this  is  but  a  natural  fru.t  of  n- 
fidelitv  which  we  have  feen  to  be  a  national  Cn  ;  and  we  can- 
J'  '^pTa  but  that  the  profanation  of  the  Lord's  day  wm  go 
vma  in  hand.     Let  us  for  a  moment  advert  to  fafts.     Irav. 
el  rnlor  iourneyh.^^either  f.ng!y  or  with  waggons  and  droves 
t  in^  W  ma  ket.  h^is  became  nearly  rs  c..T>mon  on  this  as  on 
fnv  other  dV  of  the  week.     Taking  a  ride  for  pleafure  or 
eTr    tion  isllfo  another  abufe  of  late  V-rs  very  common 
oarticularlv  in  the  vicinity  ol  large  towns.      A  jaunt  to  tae 
cour^try   o  fpend  the  day  in  feailing  and  atriufement,  by  which 
not  onW  themlelves  but' the  families  to  which  they  refort  are 
de ta^^  from  public  worfliip    '^^^  ^ecotne  a  fafhiona.le  mode 
of  fpending  the  fabbath,  and  has  taken  place  of  a  regular  ^"d 
religious   Attendance  on  the  worlhip  of  God.     Unnecellary 
yi  finrand  other  kind,  of  recreation  has  become  common 
bo     in'town  and  country.     In  fo.ne  places  it   is  "Ot  merely 
app  ,  priated  to  unneceffary  vifitin-T,  but  is  converted  in  o  a 
diyf  public  refort  at  plac's  of  diffipa.ion.  at  t?verns  t.pp  ;  g 
ami  "am"  ling  houfes.      Inftances  of  the  groffeft  profanation 
are  n«  uncommon  in  many  places  in   New  England.     Here 
the  fin  of  profanation  is  undoubtedly  the  moi-e  aggravated, 
a,N-w  England  was,  in  it.  lirtl  fettlement,  a  plantatioij  ftr  ft- 
U  M\noJ,  and  for  a  long    time  that    part    of    the  United 
late  has  been  noted  for  the  ftricf  obiervat.on  of  the  Lord  s 
dav      An  authentic  hiftory  of  the  manner  in  which  this  day 
harbeen  regarded  in  New  ^England,  from  its  firft  lettlemenc 
to  th   prefent  time,  would  both  exhibit  the  value  of  the  mfti- 
utbn.'^and  be  a  proof  of  the  ftrong  tendency  which  there  is 
in  our  natures  to  deftroy  the  fources  of  human  happinels. 

If  the  labbath  is  in  foine  inftances,  thus  grofsly  and  openly 
profaned  even  in  New  England  ;  if  New  England,once  lo  lam- 
Ka  W  thi-  rep-ilaritv  of  her  attendance  on  rehgious  inititu. 
tions  &  ths'llrict  ob'fervaiion  of  the  Lord's  day.is  lo  tar  degen. 


of  public 
not  be  ex- 
iay,  with, 
jw  of  the 
need  that 
open  and 
ruit  of  in- 
d  we  can- 
ay  will  go 
ts.     Trav- 
ind  droves 
this  as  on 
)leafure  or 
common, 
;nt  to  the 
,  by  which 
refort  are 
la'ole  mode 
jgular  and 
(nneceflary 
;  common 
lot  merely 
ted  into  a 
ns,  tipplii.g 
)rofanation 
nd.     Here 
Lggravated, 
ation  ftridt- 
the  United 
the  Lord's 
ch  this  day 
lettlement 
of  the  infti- 
lich  there  is 
ippinefs. 
and  openly 
:)nce  lo  fam- 
ous inilitu- 
o  far  degen- 


51 

crated  from  her  former  habits,  what  are  we  to  expert  in  feme 
other  parts  of  the  union  ?     In  many  places    the  Lord's  day  is 
undiftinguifliable  from  any  other  day  in   the  week,   uniefs  it 
be  rather  by  a  greater  degree  of  riot  and  extravagance,   than 
by  a  fingle  veftige  of  religion  or  religious  worlhip.     In   fome 
of  the  ftates,  it  is  true,  laws  againfl  the  grofl'er  violation  of  the 
fabbath  exift  in  the  ftatute  books.     But    have  they  not   be- 
come, in  general,  worfe  than  a  dead  letter,  by  the  impradica- 
biUty  of  carrying  them  into  effect,  on  account  of  the  flate  of 
the  public  mind  ?     The  very  exiftence  of    thefe  laws  in    the 
ftatute  book,  conne<5led  with  their  almoft  total  inexecution, 
is  an  evidence,  that,  even  in  thofe  Hates  in  which  fuch  laws 
nominally  exift,  the  violation  of  the  fabbath  is  a  national  fm. 
This  farther  appears   from    the  confuleration   that  it  is  inti- 
mately connected  with,  and  partakes  of  the  irreligious  feature 
of  our  government  already    noticed.     The   tranlportation  of 
the  iTiail  in  every  direflion  on  the  Lord's  day  by  public  author- 
ity,  without  any  real  or  apparent  neceflity,  as  well  as  the  late 
law,  not  only  authorifmg,  but  enjoining  it  upon   pofimafters 
to  open  and  fort  trie  mail,  are  acls  of  theconftituted  auinori- 
ties  of  the  nation,  which  have  had  a  tendency  to  increafe  the 
evil.     If  public  ftagcs  travel,  private  carriages,  teams,  and  eve- 
ry other  vehicle  for  the  conveyance  of  men  or  goods,  will  fol- 
low the  example.     This  gives  a  national  fan<5lion  to  the  evil. 
In  a  time  of  war,  or  of  public  darger,  the   conveyance  of  in- 
telligence in  the  moft  expeditious  manner,  from  one  part    of 
the  continent  to  an  other,  may  be  an  objt  ft  of  fuiHcient  im- 
portance to  authorize  the   tranfportation  of  the  mail  on  the 
Lord's  day.     But  in  time  of  peace,  when  nothing  but  the  or- 
dinary tranfanctions   of  civil  life    require  it,  thele  cannot  be 
put,  ordinarily,  to  fuch  hazard  by  the  delay  ot  one  day,  as  to 
afford  fufHcient   caufe  for  ericroaching  on  the  time  which 
ought  to  be  peculiarly  devoted  to  the  purpofes  of  religion. — 
We  may  add  to  this,  the  examples  of  too  many  men   in  the 
moft  important  places  of  public  truft,  who  frequently  devote 
this  day  either  to  public  or  private  bufuiefs,    or  to  the    pur- 
pofe  of  amufement.     Thefe  things  all  tend  to  the  national  pro- 
fanation of  the  day.    This,  therefore,  is  one  of  the  fins  of  our 
nation,  and  whenever  a  juftly  offended  God  is  pieai«id  to  viiit 
us  in  judgment,  he  will  vifit  this  fm  upon  us. 


! 


>-« 


3ii 


m 

1^^ 


Ml' 


52 

5thly.  Blood  guiltinefs,or  murder,muft  alfo  be  conlidered  as 
one  of  the  fins  of  our  nation.  Perhaps  there  is  no  one  fin  for 
which  God  ufually  makes  a  more  fevere  inquifition  than  for 
blood.  When  I  fpeak  of  blood  guiltinefs  or  murder,  1  don't 
mean  murder  of  every  difcription.  Murder  of  feveral  kinds 
is  ftill  punifhable  by  our  laws,  and  the  flate  of  public  opinion 
is,  in  moft  places,  fuch  as  to  prefent  no  obftade  to  the  due 
execution  of  the  law,  on  fair  and  legal  conviction.  If  inftan- 
ces  of  murder  are  either  more  numerous  or  flagrant  than  for- 
merly, a  point  on  which  I  have  not  fufficient  information  to 
be  competent  to  decide,  (but  admitting  the  fact,)  it  may  ar- 
gue a  greater  degree  of  individual  depravity,  but  it  is  notjuft- 
ly  chargeable  to  the  amount  of  national  guilt,  unlefs  fo  far  as 
it  is  connected  with  that  fpecies  which  cuilom  and  folly  au- 
thorizes, and  which  the  laws  ufually  do  not  reach,  or  are  in- 
adequate to  reftrain.  It  will  be  readily  perceived,  that  that 
fpecies  of  murder,  falfely  called  honorable,  which  is  too  much 
winked  at  by  our  laws,  is  meant  ;  I  mean  the  pradice  of  du- 
elling. To  the  people  of  New  England  this  fin  has  appeared 
to  be  one  with  which  they  had  but  little  concern.  Its  horrid 
afpeA  has  been  contemplated  from  a  fafe,  and  as  we  fuppofed, 
an  undiminifhing  difl;ancc.  We  have  been  taught  to  regard 
it  as  murderous  and  deteftible  in  its  nature,  and  as  deplorable 
in  its  confequences.  We  have  not  imagined  that  our  broth- 
ers and  our  fons  were  in  danger  of  being  maflacred  by  their 
affociates,  and  their  friends,  and  that  our  fields  and  retired 
places  were  to  become  the  theatres  of  fingle  combat,  and  be 
confecrated  to  the  purpofes  of  revenge  and  flaughter.  But 
when  we  deemed  ourlelves  fecure  from  all  danger  of  partici- 
pating in  this  crime,  our  hopes  were  too  fanguine.  Several 
duels  have  been  fought  either  in  New  England,  or  by  New 
England  men,  and  there  is  danger  that  the  evil  may  increafe. 

The  word  murder  is  one  which  jullly  firikes  ttie  mind  with 
horror,  and  never  'vithout  making  us  conlcious  of  its  tremen- 
dous fignification,  without  exciting  lentiments  of  pity  and 
companion  for  the  fufferers,  and  of  indignation  againft  the 
perpetrator  of  the  crime.  But  fuch  is  the  ftate,  may  I  not 
call  it  the  depravity  of  public  fentiment  among  us,  that  the 
term  duelling  is  heard  of   with  but  little  emotion,  and  the 


■1;  . 


53 


idered  as 
le  fin  for 
than  for 
:,  1  don't 
ral  kinds 
:  opinion 

the  due 

f  inftan- 

than  for- 

ation  to 

may  ar- 

notjuft- 

fo  far  as 

folly  au- 

)r  are  in- 

hat  that 

00  much 

e  ofdu- 

appeared 

is  horrid 

uppofed, 

o  regard 

eplorable 

ir  broth- 

by  their 

d  retired 

and  be 
er.  But 
■   partici- 

Several 

by  New 

increafe. 

lind  with 

i  tremen- 

pity  and 

;ainft  the 

ay   I  not 

that  the 

and  the 


pra<aice  itfelf  is  Ipoken  of  with  complacency  and  approbation. 
The  man  who  lays  in  wait  for,  and  takes  away  the  Hfe  of  an- 
other, is  juftly  condemned  to  an  ignominious  death,  while  he 
who  takes  away  the  life  of  his  friend  by  that  ipecies  of  mur- 
der which  is  authorized  by  the  laws  of  honor,  falfely  fo  call- 
ed, inftead  of  being  frowned  upon  indignantly,  is  received 
with  applaufe,  and  openly  carefled  in  the  nioft  falhionable  and 
poliflied  fociety  ;  while  many  times,  the  man,  who  either 
from  motives  of  tendernefs  for  the  life  of  a  fellow  creature, 
or  from  a  regard  to  his  own,  or  fiom  any  other  confideration, 
dilated  either  by  motives  of  religion  or  humanity,  declines 
to  enter  the  lift  in  the  bloody  combat,  is  treated  with  every 
mark  of  contempt.  Surely  this  is  to  give  the  countenance  of 
fociety  to  the  praclice  in  queftion,  and  all  who  thus  coun- 
tenance it,  participate  in  the  guilt  and  crime.  A  contra- 
ry practice,  ftiould  it  become  general,  would,  in  almoft  every 
inftance,  prevent  thefe  deeds  of  blood.  Yet  can  the  praftice 
when  examined  either  at  the  bar  of  reafon,  or  by  the  ftandard 
of  either  fcripture  or  found  morality,  be  viewed  in  any  other 
light  than  as  murder  !  Indeed  it  is  a  compound  of  murder,  in 
the  common  acceptation  of  the  word,  and  fuicide.  The 
principals  are  guilty  of  a  voluntary  deftrui^iion  of  thdr  own 
lives  in  cafe  of  death,  and  of  an  expofure  to  fuicide  in  cafe 
death  does  not  follow,  if  the  parties  actually  proceed  to  fight. 
It  cannot  be  pretended  that  the  morality  of  an  a<5tion  depends 
in  any  degree  on  a  man's  ability  to  fhoot  ftraight,  or  handle 
a  fword  dexteroufly.  Indeed  the  duellift  who  kills  his  fellow, 
it  may  be  his  intimate  friend,  is  frequently,  by  many  degrees 
more  guilty,  more  inexcufable  than  a  common  murderer. — 
Duellifts  are  not  generally  to  be  found  among  the  loweft 
rabble.  They  are,  for  the  moft  part,  men  of  more  knowledge, 
and  of  a  higher  education  than  thole  who  commit  murder  in 
other  ways.  The  felons  who  are  executed  for  the  crime  of 
murder,  are,  for  the  moft  pai  t,  ignorant,  uneducated,  and 
perfons  who  have  been  but  hitle  accuftomed  to  the  blefiings 
and  reftraints  of  an  improved  ftate  of  fociety.  They  have 
never  been  taught  to  govern  their  pafiions,  nor  fubjected  to 
the  influence  of  that  decorous  treatment  which  the  rules  of 
politenefs  indifpenfably  require.     Duelling  is  commonly  per- 


;l 


■i 


m 


54 

petrated  with  much  greater  coolnefs  than  any  other  fpecies  erf 
murder.     There  are   undoubted   exceptions  to   this   general 
ftatement.     Some  murders  are  the  fruit  of  long   harbored 
malice.     Still  the  greateft  part  of  murders,  which  are  brought 
before  courts  of  juftice  in  civilized  countries,  are  committed 
under  the  immediate  influence  of  fudden  and  violent  paflions. 
But  men,  many  times  not  only  engage  in,  but  profecute  and 
finifli  a  duel,  while  every  ftep  from  the  incipient  provocation, 
until  one  of  the  parties  is  laid  dead  at  the  other's  feet,  is  con- 
duced with  the  greateft  coolnefs  and  deliberation.     Some 
times  the  duel  is  deferred  for  a  confiderable  time,   and  after- 
wards refumed  with  as  fteady  a  purpofe  as  accompanies  the 
moft  laudable  of  human  adions.      Other  murderers  feldom 
kill  thofe  with  whom  they  have  had  much  intimacy,  but  du- 
ellifts  many  times  kill  thofe  with  whom  they  have  long  Hved 
in  the  habits  of  friendfhip  ;  thofe  whom  they  have  profeffed 
to  efteem  and  love,  and  whom  they  were  bound  by   every 
fecial  tie  to  protedl  and  defend.     Other  murderers  inflid  ven- 
geance either  on  their  enemies  or  on  ftrangers,  at  leaft  this  is 
generally  cafe.      Even   the  American  Savage,  or    the    fero- 
cious Arab,   does  not  imbrue  his  hands  in  the  blood  of  his 
friend.     I  have  not  room  farther  to  expatiate  on  the  enormi- 
ty of  this  crime,  as  would  be  ealily  done,  by  fhowing  that  it 
is  murder  committed  on  fettled  principles,  and  by  tracing  its 
confequences  both  as  they  refped  government  and  fociety,  and 
the  immediate  connections  of  thofe  who  happen  to  fall  vic- 
tims to  their  own  folly  and  the  tyranny  of  a  barbarous  cuf- 
tom.     If  every  fubjed  of  petty  altercation  were  to  be  magni- 
fied into  an  offence  which  could  be  expiated  only  with  blood, 
then  all  perfonal  fecurity  would  be  dellroyed,  and  neither  fo- 
ciety or  government  couM  fubfift.      But  how  trivial  are  the 
caufes  from  which  many  quarrels  of  this  kind  originate  ? — 
"Wiien  God  makes  inquilitiun  for  blood  there  is  no  doubt  but 
that  (hed  in  duels  will  undergo  a  fevere  fcrutiny.* 
^  It  remains  now  to  confider  the  evidences  that  this  is  a  na- 
tional fin,  according  to  the  definition  of  a  national  fin  already 
given  :  i.  e.  if  a  particular  crime  cannot  be  reftrained  and  pun- 

>W——i—i  ■■■■■— 

*  The  preceding  obfervations  are  principally  extrafted  from  the  Panopiift 
for  March  iSii. 


pedes  erf 
general 
liarbored 
brought 
nimitted 
paflions. 
cute  and 
i^ocation, 
r,  is  con- 
.     Some 
nd  after- 
anies  the 
?  feldom 
,  but  du- 
3ng  lived 
profeffed 
)y   every 
iflid  ven- 
id  this  is 
he    fero- 
)d  of  his 
5  enormi- 
ig  that  it 
racing  its 
:iety,  and 
)  fall  vic- 
rous  cul- 
)e  magni- 
ith  blood, 
either  fo- 
il are  the 
inate  ? — 
loubt  but 

is  is  a  na- 
n  already 
and  pun- 

le  PAnopltll 


55 

ifiied  by  law  becaufe  fupported  by  public  opinion  ;  if  the  moft 
efficient  1  »ws  are  evaded  and  the  guilty  uniformly  fcreened 
from  juftice,  then  the  guilt  of  the  crime  is  juftly  chargeable 
on  the  nation.      Let  us  apply  this  to  the  crime  in  quellion. 
There  is  no  law  of  the  United  States  againft  duelling.  So  far 
from  being  punilhable  it  is  no  obftacle  to  preferment.      We 
may  find  duellifts  in  the  moft  important  offices.  In  our  courts 
of  law  ;  in  either  or  both  brances  of  the  national  legiflature,and 
upon  the  benches  of  juftice,  without  exception  of  the  high- 
eft  judicial  tribunal  in  the  United  States.     We  may  find  a  man 
called  to  legiflate  perhaps  upon  the  very  crime  of  murder,  as 
well  as  to  pronounce  the  fentence  of  the  law  upon  that  crime, 
whofe  hands  are  reeking  with  blood.     Laws  there  are  in  ma- 
ny, perhaps  in  moft  of  the  United  States,  to  prevent  or  in 
fome  (hdpe  to  puniih  this  crime.      But  how  are  they  execut- 
ed ?  Perfons  difpofed  to  fhed  each  others  blood  have  only  to 
ftep  over  the  line  into  another  ftate  to  be  free  from  profecu- 
tion.     So  far  is  public  opinion  from  oppofing  any  barrier  to 
the  praftice  that  many  are  driven  into  duels  by  the  force  of  a 
tyrannical  cuftom,  contrary  to  their  own  fenfe  of  right  and 
propriety.      In  fome  places  the  torrent  of  public  opinion  in 
favour  of  this  barbarous  cuftom  is  fo  irrefiftible,  that  the  man 
who  dares  to  obey  the  laws  of  God  or  his  country,  the  voice 
of  confcience  or  the  dictates  of  humanity,  in  preference  to 
what  are  abfurdly  called  the  laws  of  honour,    may  expect  to 
be  hunted  from  what  is  called  genteel  and  honourable  fociety. 
This  is  a  fad  well  known  as  it  refpeds  many  parts  of  the  U- 
nited  States.*      The  laws  of  God  and  man,  the  great  law  of 


*  As  one  hopeful  fymntom  of  an  abatement  of  the  evil  pra<EHce  of  duelling, 
I  feel  a  degree  of  fanstadion  in  having  it  in  my  power  to  notice  a  late  law  of 
Virj^inia  in  relation  to  that  pradiLe,  \>  iTed,  if  I  miftake  not,  in  the  year  i8  lo. 
That  large,  and  in  many  refpefts,  refpedable  (late  has  perhaps  produced  as  ma- 
ny, if  not  more  duels  than  any  other  fLte  of  the  union,  to  the  great  grief  of 
many  of  its  beft  inhabitants.  The  Legiflature  has  at  length  interpofed  to  re- 
ftrain  the  evil.  Having  never  perufed  the  law  itfelf,  I  cannot  ftate  its  provif- 
ions  with  accuracy.  I  underftand  one  of  them  to  be,  to  render  the  perfon  who 
has  been  either  diredly  or  indirt  6tly  concerned  in  a  duel,  forever  after  incapable 
of  being  appointed  to  any  office  of  public  trult,  from  the  higheft  to  the 
moft  inconliderabie  office  in  the  ftate  ;  and  before  his  appointment  to  of- 
fice, the  candidate  muft  make  lolemn  oath  that  he  has  never  in  any  way  vio- 
lated that  law.     This  difcjualification  extends  not  only  to  tliofe  who  have  ailu- 


i   , 

I 


i 

i 

1 


n 


i 


m 


56 


benevolence  to  our  fellow  creatures,  all  the  choiceft  feelings 
of  humanity,  the  firft  law  of  nature  which  is  felf-preferva- 
tion,  or  an  endeavour  to  preferve  our  own  lives  and  the  lives 
of  others,  the  choicelt  blelTings  of  fociety  and  of  domeftic 
happinefs,  and  frequently  the  perfon's  own  fenfe  of  propriety 
and  moral  obligation,  nmfl  all  be  proftrated  before  the  wick- 
ed and  abfurd  maxims  of  what  are  called  the  laws  of  honour  ; 
and  creatures  formed  for  immortality  are  thus  hurried  uncall- 
ed into  the  prefence  of  their  God  with   all  their  fms  upon 
them.     Thefe  lav;s  of  honour  tend  to  fofter  a  fpirit  of  cruel- 
ty and  revenge,  even  all  the  worft  paffions  of  the  human  heart. 
In  the  public  countenance  given  to  the  practice  we  fee  mif- 
chief  eftablifhed  by  a  law,  at  leaft  by  a  tyrannical  cuftom  of 
equal  force,  if  noc  above  all  law.      Thefe  confiderations  are 
fufficient  to  prove,  that  the  guilt  of  this  fin  lies  upon  the  na- 
tion as  well  as  upon  the  individual  who  commits  the  crime. 
Both  rulers  and  people  are  guilty  ;    the  lattei:  becaufe  they 
countenance  it  by  public  opinion,  and  the  former  becaufe 
they  do  not  reftrain  and  punifli  it.     If  perfons  are  in  a  man- 
ner compelled,  by  the  irrefiftible  force  of  public   opinion,  to 
put  their  own  lives  and  the  lives  of  their  friends  at  hazard  in  a 
duel  ;  if  there  is  no  law  of  the  United  States  againft  the 
pradlice  ;  if  in  thofe  ftites  where  there  are  laws  they  are  evad- 
ed and  rendered  nugatory  for  want  of  due  execution  ;  if  the 
man  who  has  thus  imbrued  his   hands  in   the  blood  of  his 
friend,  is,  fo  far  from  being  frowned  upon,  in  the  high  road 
to  public  notice,  and  can  find  his  way  into  our  halls  of  legif- 
lation,  our  Senates  or  the  benches  of  juftice  in  our  highefl: 
courts  in  the  United  St  Ues,  then   the  nation  takes  the  guilt 
upon  the^ifelves,  and  the  crime  becomes  the  fin  of  the  nation. 
I  forbeai  farther  enlargement  on  the  fubje(fl;.      By  killing,  or 
as  a  confequence  of  killing  or  murder,   the  land   mourns. 
When  God  vifits  our  nation  he  will  make  inquifiiion  for  blood, 

ally  fought,  but  to  every  man  who  hns  either  given  or  accepted,  or  been  the 
bearer  of  a  challenge,  or  confents  to  be  fecond  in  a  duel.  The  wifdona  of  this 
!a<.v  is  tefted  by  its  tfft'(f>3.  Since  it  was  enadted.a  duel  has  rarely  happened  in 
Virginia.  May  this  prove  a  prelude  of  the  cxpullion  of  every  ve(}ige  of  this 
remnant  of  gothic  birbarity,  fo  highly  difgraceful  not  only  toihc  chriftian  char- 
aifter,  but  to  humanity  itfelf,  from  every  part  of  our  country. 


!;.; 


feelings 
preferva- 
the  lives 
domeftic 
propriety 
he  wick- 
honour  ; 
;d  uncall- 
ins  upon 

of  cruel- 
lan  heart. 

fee  mif- 
:uftom  of 
tions  are 
>n  the  na- 
he  crime, 
aufe  they 
r  becaufe 
n  a  man- 
inion,  to 
izard  in  a 
;ainft  the 
are  evad- 
in ;  if  the 
)d  of  his 
iigh  road 
1  of  legif' 
r  higheft 
1  the  guilt 
be  nation, 
killing,  or 

mourns, 
for  blood, 

or  been  the 
fdona  of  this 
happened  in 
dtige  of  this 
hriiUan  char> 


57 

lie   will   take   vengeance   on   fuch  a  nation   as   this. 

H;id.I  not  already  protra(5ted  the  detail  to  fo  great  a  length, 
I  might  eafily  fwell  the  black  catalogue,  by  mentioning  many 
other  fins  both  againft  God  and  man,  which,  altho'  fome  of 
them  may  not  have  io  fir  obtained  the  public  countenance  as 
to  be  ftriclly  national  fins,  or  fms  of  which  the  nation  as  fuch 
alTumes  the  guilr,  are  at  leaft  awfully  prevalent.  I  might  have 
mentioned  and  largely  commented  upon  the  fin  of  intemper- 
ance, which  is  not  only  a  heinous  fin  in  itfelf  but  an  inlet  to 
almoft  every  other  vice.  Had  I  a  talent  for  defcription,  I 
might  have  portrayed,  in  glowing  colours,  the  fcenes  of  mif- 
ery  and  wretchednefs  which  the  drunkard  brings  upon  him- 
felf  and  his  connections.  This  is  a  vice  which  is  very  com- 
mon in  our  land.  Scarcely  a  town  or  a  village  can  be  found, 
where  there  are  not  fome,  frequently  many,  who  have  bro't 
diftrefs  and  ruin  upon  themfelves  by  this  fin.  Scarcely  a  col- 
leclion  o^ people  can  be  found,  afTemblad  on  any  public  occa- 
fion,  among  whom  an  attentive  obferver  cannot  difcern  evi- 
dences of  the  prevalence  of  this  evil.  I  might  mention  lafciv- 
ioufnefs,  including  all  the  kind3,from  a  grofs  violation  cf  the 
marriage  covenant,  to  every  ramification  of  the  vice.  This 
may  proceed  in  part  from  the  impetuofity  of  paflion  ;  but  it 
is  alfo  derived  from  a  corruption  of  principle.  No  point  have 
infidels  laboured  more  afilduoufly,  than  to  defl:roy  the  fancli- 
ty  of  the  marriage  covenant.  Wretched  indeed  would  be 
the  ftate  of  fociety,  Ihould  thefe  libertine  labours  be  crowned 
with  complete  fuccef-.  Indeed  it  is  doubtful  whether  it  could 
fubfift  at  all.  Whf  her  are  they  to  be  deemed,  the  friends  or 
the  enemies  of  foCi  ty,  who  would  diffolve  all  thofe  tender 
&  endearing  ties  which  link  focieties  and  families  together  I 
I  hope  this  fin  is  not  openly  countenanced  by  the  nation.  No 
legiflative  body  in  our  nation,  has,  as  yet,  declared  in  the  face 
of  the  nation  and  the  world  that  there  is  nothing  criminal  or 
difgraceful  in  the  promifcuous  intercourfe  of  the  fexes.  A 
laxnefs  of  morals  in  this  particular  is  neverthelefs  awfully  prev- 
alent. I  might  enlarge  the  catalogue,  for  indeed  there  is 
fcarcelv  any  of  the  fins  of  Sodom,  or  of  any  other  nation, 
which  is  not  more  or  lefs  prevalent  in  our  land.  For  thefe 
things  the  land  mourns.    I  muft  however  clofe  this,  perhaps, 

il 


I 


.^•t' 


.1 


fl:,: 


^1 


58 

tedious  detail.  Thefe  vices  are  all  branches  of  the  fame  roof/ 
viz.  that  fpiri't  of  irreligion  which  has  already  been  noticed  as 
fo  generally  prevalent ;  and  vain  will  be  the  hopes  of  reform- 
ation from  any  other  fource  than  the  principles  of  the  Gofpel. 
I  cannot  however  clofe  the  fubjed  without  mentioning  one 
particular  more,  growing  out  of  the  peculiar  iituation  of  our 
country,  which  threatens  to  become  a  national  evil^  of  equal, 
if  not  of  greater  magnitude  than  any  which  have  been  men- 
tioned ;  I  mean  the  prefent  fituation  of  our  foreign  relations, 
and  the  attitude  which  it  appears  probable  will  be  aflumed  in 
a  fhort  time.     I  muft  therefore  mention, 

6ihly.  That  another  evil  with  which  we  are  threatened  at 
prt-fent  is  the  making  a  common  caufe  with  the  tranfatlantic 
enemies  of  GoD  and  religion.*  As  thi^  Is  a  delicate  fubjecl, 
I  don't  wifli  to  venture  on  it  raflily  nor  purfue  it  any  farther 
than  I  believe  myfelf  poflelTed  of  the  cleareft  evidence.  It  is 
not  my  intention  in  this  place  to  attempt  a  difcuflion  upon  any 
iuppofed  partiality  in  our  foreign  relations,  or  a  difpofition  to 
cringe  and  bow  to  one  foi'eign  nation  or  irritate  another.  I 
mean  merely  to  advert  to  what  appears  to  be  our  prefent  fit^ 
uation,  without  noticing  the  manner  in  which  the  way  has 
been  prepared  for  it.  Nor  fliall  I  touch  upon  this  an  farther 
than  it  has  a  bearing  upon  our  moral  and  religious  Iituation, 
and  our  national  and  individual  accountability  for  our  con- 
duct. It  can  neither  be  denied,  difguifed,  nor  concealed,  that 
we  are  in  danger  of  an  entanglement  at  leaft,  if  not  of  mak- 
ing a  common  caufe  with  the  conqueror,  or  rather  the  tyrant 
and  oppreiTor  of  continental  Europe.  Should  fuch  a  connection 
actually  take  place,  its  fatal  confequences  to  our  profperity  and 
happinefs,  and  even  to  our  national  exiftcnce  and  independ- 
ence, cannot  be  painted  in  too  livid  colours.  I  (hall  however 
confider  them  only  in  a  moral  and  religious  point  of  view. 

*  The  reader  is  reminded  that  this  difcourfe  was  compofed  nearly  a  year 
ago.  Any  allufion  to  a  ftate  of  war  is  therefore  to  be  confidered  as  only  by  an- 
ticipation, grounded  upon  the  then  Itate  of  our  foreign  relations.  What  was 
then  confidered  as  a  probable  event  is  now  hiltorically  true,  and  war  has  in- 
creafed  the  anticipated  d,»nger.  If  providence  does  not  foon  interpofe  to  fnatch 
us  out  of  the  gulph  into  which  we  have  rafhiy  plunged  ourfelves,  it  is  impoflible 
to  forefec  wbeo  or  where  Uie  calamity  will  end. 


me  roof/ 
oticed  as 
f  reforin- 
e  Gofpel. 
ning  one 
>n  ot  our 
of  equal, 
jen  men- 
relations, 
fumed  in 

itened  at 
nfatlantic 
e  fubjecl, 
ly  farther 
:e.  It  is 
upon  any 
ofition  to 
other.  I 
refent  £iu 
way  has 
V  farther 
lltuation, 
our  con- 
aled,  that 
:  of  mak- 
he  tyrant 
onnedion 
)erity  and 
independ- 
l  however 
of  view. 

early  a  year 
» only  by  an- 
What  was 
war  has  in- 
)ofe  to  fnatch 
;  is  impoflible 


59 

That  this  terrible  power  exhibits  all  the  difcriminating  char- 
avfteriftics  of  the  Antichrift  of  the  laft  times,  has,  I  think, 
been  fatisfaclorily  proved  by  late  writers  who  have  made  that 
fubje6l  their  particular  ftudy.  Their  arguments  and  explana- 
tions of  prophecy  I  have  not  room  to  detail.  St.  John  de- 
fines Antichrift  to  be  one  who  was  to  deny  the  Father  and 
the  Son,  i.  e.  one  who  was  to  be  both  an  infidel  and  an  atheift, 
or  rather  as  an  atheiftical  power  who  was  to  rife  up  in  oppo- 
fition  to  the  chriftian  religion,  and  indeed  to  every  religious 
and  moral  principle,  and  not  as  any  mere  individual.  To 
this  power  the  character  of  the  wilful  king  defcribed  by  Dan- 
iel ftriclly  accords. — Dan.  xi.  36,  h7.  A7id  the  kingjhall  do  ac- 
cording to  his  will,  and  he  JJoall  exalt  himself  and  magnify  himself 
above  every  God,  and  fhull  speak  marvellous  things  against  the 
God  of  Gods,  and  shall  prosper  till  the  indignation  be  aceompliflo' 
ed.  Neither  Jhall  he  regard  the  God  of  his  fathers,  nor  the  desire 
of  women,  nor  regard  any  God,  for  he  fJoall  magnify  himself  above 
all.  By  a  king,  in  prophetic  language,  we  are  not  to  under- 
fi:and  an  individual  monarch  but  a  kingdom,  or  the  fupreme 
power  of  a  nation,  whatever  may  be  the  form  of  its  govern- 
ment. No  power  exhibiting  all  thele  diftind  marks  of  the 
Antichrift  of  the  laft  times  has  appeared  in  the  world  before 
atheiftical  France.  But  when  we  fee  revolutionary  France  re- 
nouncing  the  chriftian  religion,  abolilhing  the  chriftian  lab- 
bath,  defacing  and  profaning  the  places  conlecrated  to  the 
public  worftiip  of  the  Deity,  publicly  burning  the  Bible,  with 
every  expreflion  cf  contempt  and  indignation  ;  fixing  this  in- 
fcription  publicly  in  their  burying  grounds,  that  death  was 
an  eternal  fleep  ;  forcibly  (hutting  up  the  houfes  of  public 
worftiip,  and  making  the  mere  expreffion  of  adefire  that  they 
might  be  opened  a  great,  if  not  a  capital  crime  ;  difregardinj; 
the  God  of  their  fathers,  and  him  who  was  antiently  the  de- 
fire  of  women,  by  proclaiming  themfeives  a  nation  of  atheifts, 


alter  throughout  the  world,  we  need  not  be  at  a  lofs  for  a  clue 
to  difcover  the  Antichrift  of  the  laft  times.     This  was  a  ftate 


of  things  for  which  the  public  mind  had  been  long  preparmg 
hv  the  labours  of  Voltaire  and  his  atheiftical  afluciateb.  When> 


I 


I 


i  f 


'    60 

in  addition  to  the  moral  and  religious  view  of  this  power,  we 
confider  her  preponde-  ating  influence  among  the  nations  ; 
the  vaft  armies  under  her  controul  ;  the  exte'nfive  and  popu- 
lous territories  reduced  to  a  (late  of  complete  fubjcdion  ;  the 
eagernefs  with   which  Ihe  grafps  at  univerlal  donnnion,  and 
the  confidence  with  which  her  prefent  ruler  exprelles  the  be- 
lief that  it  is  within  his  reach,  and  the  conlumniate  art  with 
which  one  conqueft  is  ufed  to  effect  and  extend  another,    we 
cannot  be  much  at  a  lofs  to  find  Gog  and  his  numerous  ar- 
mies, defcribed  in  the  38th  and  S9th  chapters  of  Lzekicl.    In 
the  change  from  a  pretended  republic,  or  rather  from  a  rev- 
olutionary vortex,  to  a  military  defpotifm,  other  predictions 
have  been  circumftantially  fulfilled.  That  people,  who  had  but 
juft  before  magnified  themfelves  above  God  and  all  legitimate 
authority,  and  fpoken  marvellous  things  againft  the  God  of 
Gods,  have  received  a  foreign  God,  i.  e^  a  foreign  ruler,  from 
an  origin  which  neither  they  nor  their  fathers  acknowledged, 
manifeiling  the  nioft  abjeft  fubmiffion  to  his  authority,  'and 
honoring  him  with  every  fJDecies  of  imperial  magnificence. 
Nor  does  the  fubfequent  alliance  of    that  tremendous  atheifti- 
cal  power  with  popery  render  the  charafteriftics  of  Antichrift 
lefs  difcriminating.      It  is  obfervabje  in  the  revelations,    that 
before  the  great  battle  in   which  the  antichriftian   beaft  was 
to  bear  the  papal  harlot  to  execution,  and  they  were  to  pcrilh 
together  in  the  great  battle  of  Armageddon,  popery  was  to 
change  its  appearance,  and  be  no  lonojer  the  beaft  it  was  for- 
merly  but  the  falfe  prophet.  That  which  gave  the  popifli  hier- 
archy the  diftinguiiliing  character  of  a  beaft,  was  not  merely 
the  fyftem  ot  idolatry  and  fuperftition,  introduced,  patronized 
and  eftablilhed   by  that  church,  but  the  civil  power  with 
which  its  vifible  head  was  invefted,  or  rather  the  overbearing 
influence  exercifed  by  the  pope  over  the  civil  authority  of  all 
nations  within  the  pale  of  the  romifh  communion.  The  kings 
of  the  earth,  i.e.  the  latin  earth,  or  Roman  Empire,  were  to 
give  their  power  and  ftrength  unto  the  beaft,   i.  e.   to  lend 
their  influence,  or  rather  become  the  mere  paflive  inftruments 
of  upholding  the  grandeur  and  extending  the  influence  of 
lum  who  blafphemoufly  pretended  to  be  Chrisi  's  vicar  up- 
on earth.  V 


h 


wcr,  we 
lations  ; 
id  popu- 
on  J  the 
on,  and 
;  the  he- 
art with 
ler,  we 
rous  ar- 
kicl.  In 
1:1  a  rev- 
jdiclions 
had  but 
;;inmate 

God  of 
?r,  from 

ledged, 
ty,  and 
ilicenco. 
atheifti- 
titichrift 
IS,  that 
•aft  was 
o  pcrilh 
'  was  to 
was  for- 
ifli  hier- 

merely 
ronized 
M'  with 
bearing 
^y  of  all 
»e  kings 
were  to 
to  lend 

uments 
ence  of 
icar  up- 


61 

But  allho'  this  fhme  ecclefiaftical  power  full  continues  to 
t^atronize  fuperftition  and  idolatry,  yet  being  divelled  of  civil 
authority,  or  any  controuling  influence  over  the  kings  of  the 
earth,  it  ceafes  to  be  a  beaft,  which. in  prophetic  langua-e  in- 
c  udes  the  idea  of  an  idolatrous  civil  power,  and  affumes  the 
cliarader,  which  is  in  prophetic  language  dcfignated  by  the 
name  of  a  falfe  prophet.  The  beaR,  i.  e.  the  power  who  will 
then  be  peculiarly  entitled  to  the  character  of  a  beaft,will  en- 
ter  into  a  confederacy  with  the  falfe  prophet  and  both  ihall 
perifh  together. 

Let  us  for  a  moment  fee  how  this  defcription,  borrowed 
from  the  facrcd  oracles,  agrees  with  the  prefent  Hate  of  thincrs. 
liie  Emperor  Napoleon  has  reflored  popery  in  France,  and  in 
other  countries  compofing  his  vaft  empire.  But  how  is  it  re- 
Itored  t  Has  he,  in  reality,  evinced  any  more  regard  to  chrif- 
tianity  or  even  to  popery,  than  formerly,  when'he  was  alter, 
nately  papift,  muflulman,  and  atheift  ?  Has  he  reftored  to 
popery  any  of  its  former  powers,  or  given  liberty  to  the  free 
exerciie  of  clin{hanity,  in  any  fhnpe,  any  farther  than  it  ac 
cords  with  his  capricious  will  for  the  moment  ?  No.  The 
temporal  power  of  the  pope  has  been  long  declining  ftep  by 
Itep,  and  it  has  been  left  to  Napoleon  to  give  it  the  death 
biow.  The  fpiritual  power  he  has  alfo  places  under  his  own 
controbl,  and  it  can  only  be  exercifed  in  immediate  fubfervi- 
ency  to  his  will.  I'he  popery  reflored  is  the  mere  creature  of 
the  ftate,  the  inflrument  of  an  ambitious  and  capricious  poli- 
cy,  whicli  he  can  annihilate  at  pleafure,  whenever  fuch  a 
mealure  becomes  congenial  to  his  political  views.  Popery 
then,  as  at  prefent  exifting  in  the  world,  completely  diverted 
of  all  civil,  and  nearly  ftript  of  all  ecclefiaftical  power,  and  ex- 
ilhng  only  by  the  courtefy  of  a  man  who  has  no  other  view 
in  its  iupport  than  to  render  it  fubfervient  to  the  purpofcs  of 
his  ambition,  is  no  longer  that  tremendous  beaft  it  was  form- 
erly,when  it  carried  terror  and  d'lUiay  to  the  imperial  throne, 
and  nearly  all  the  thrones  of  Europe.  But  as  the  fyftem  of 
idolatry  and  fuperftition  ftill  remains,  it  is  properly,  in  the 
language  of  the  revelation,  ftyled  the  falfe  prophet,  with  whom 
the  antichri^ian  beaft,  being,  as  is  generally  fuppofed,  the 
Roman  Empire,  und:r  its  laft  head/ was  to  connecl;  himfeif, 


62 


I 


and  which  was,  together  with  the  beuft,  to  go  into  perdition. 
It  is  farther  qucftionable  whether  Napoleon  has  any  thing  elfc 
in  view,  in  the  re-cftablifliment  of  popery  within  his  domin- 
ions, than  its  entire  deftruction  together  with  chriftianity. 
The  antient  priefthood  had  been  principally  dettroyed  during 
the  horrors  of  the  revolution.      No  encouragement  is  givcii 
to  young  men  to  embrace  the  facred  funcT:ion.      Th'-y  have 
nothing  to  exped  but  the  mod  abjecT:  poverty  and  the  moft 
fovereign  contempt.      The  few  minifters  of  rclif^ion  are  gen- 
erally old  men,   their  numbers  at  prefent  wholly  inadequate 
to  the  difcharge  of  their  fundions,  and  rapidly  diminilhing 
by  death,  while  few  or  none  appear  to  take  thiir  places.   This 
obfervation  is  applicable  to  chriftian  teachers  of  every  fort, 
whether  catholic  or  proteftant,  while,  by  the  bulk  of  the  na. 
tion,  religion  is  treated  with  the  utmoR  contempt.     It  is  pro- 
bably expected  that,   in  this  way,  the  entire  deftruaion  of 
chrillianitv  will  be  effeaied  by  time.     Such  is  that    tremend- 
ous power  with  whom  we  are  in  danger  of  forming  a   more 
clofe  poliiical  union,  if  not  entering  into  a  direcl:  and  formal 
alliance  ;  a  power  exhibiting  in  the  moft  ftriking  colours  all 
the  marks  of  the  Antichrift  of  the  laft  times.    I  need  not  here 
detail  the  preient  ftate  of  our  relations  with  that  power— per- 
haps  I  may  not  fally  underftand  it,&  if  I  did  this  might  be  nei- 
ther the  time  nor  place  io  make  the  detail.  One  remark  how. 
ever  is  obvious— that  the  prefent  (late  of  our  relations  with 
France  renders  acoUifion  almoft  certain  with  the  only  power 
which  has  hitherto  been  able  to  fet  up  any  thing  like  an  eifec- 
tual  i^arrier  againittheboundlefs  ambitionof  Napoleon.  Si.ould 
that  unfortunate  event  take  place,  the  probable  immediUe 
coniequence  would  be  our  being  brought  completely  within 
the  vortex  of  his  political  view's,  if  we  ftiould  not  be  confid- 
ered  as  an  integral  part  of  his  vaft  empire,     It  would  be  eafy 
to  expatiate  upon  the  probable  confequences,  probable  did  I 
fciy,  rather  upon  the  neceflary  and  unavoidable  confequences 
ot  fuch  an  event  to  our  pohtical  conftitutions,  and  national 
independence  ;  but  I  only  afk,   what  will  be  its  confequences 
to  morality  and  religion  ?  What  will  be  its  tendency  to  expofe 
us  to  the  awful  vifitations  of  heaven  ?  I  do  not  mention  this 
from  any  anprehenrinn  that  this  antichriftian  power  will  fuc- 
ceed  in  his  plan  for  deltroying  chriftianity.     Christ's  church 


)erdiuon* 
:hing  elfc 
s  domin- 
•iftianity. 
d  durinpj 

is  given 
[I'-y  have 

the  moft 
1  are  gen- 
1  adequate 
ninilhing 
ces.  This 
ery  fort, 
)f  the  na. 

It  is  pro- 
•udion  of 
tremend- 
g  a  more 
id  formal 
:olours  all 
1  not  here 
ver — per- 
;ht  benei- 
I  ark  how- 
ions  with 
ily  power 
?  an  eifec- 
m.  Si.ould 
mmediite 
'ly  within 
be  conlid- 
Id  be  eafy 
>able  did  I 
ifequences 
d  national 
ifequences 

to  expofe 
intion  this 
r  will  fue- 
l's church 


^3 

IS  founded  on  a  rock  and  the  gates  of  hell  cannot  prevail  a- 
gainft  it.  But  what  is  to  be  the  ultimate  fate  of  the  beaft 
and  the  falfe  prophet  ?  1  beheld  (fays  tlie  prophet  Daniel)  even 
until  the  beast  was  slain,  and  his  body  destroyed  and  given  unto  the 
burning  jlamc.  He  was  to  profper  till  the  indignation  was  ac- 
compHfhed  ;  was  then  to  come  to  his  end,and  none  Ihould  help 
him.^  That  this  tremendous  power,  at  the  head  of  which  Napo- 
leon is  now  placed,  is  raifed  up  by  providence  for  the  exprefj 
purpofe  of  fcourging  andpuniihing  the  nations  for  their  wick- 
ednefs,  cannot  admit  of  a  doubt.  Allies  and  enemies  indif- 
criminately  feel  the  fmartof  this  fcourge.  Until  the  purpof- 
es  of  indignation,  which  the  Sovereign  of  the  Univerfe  has  in 
view,  are  accomplilhed,  he  will  profper  ;  but  when  that  which 
is  determined  is  done,  he  will  be  call  down  and  deftroyed,  as 
was  the  AlTyrian  his  prototype  of  old.  By  joining  with  An- 
tichrift,  and  in  that  way  becomin.^  partakers  of  his  fins,  wo 
may  exped  to  become  the  partakers  of  his  plagues.  To  join 
with,  and  help  the  ungodly,  haj  always  been  attended  with 
the  worft  confequences  to  a  people  profefling  the  true  religion. 
It  is  a  crime  on  which  providence  always  frowns,  either 
firfi:  or  laft.  Even  good  king  Jehofliaphat  brought  wrath  upon 
himfelf  &  upon  Judah,  by  joining  in  affinity  with  Ahab  ;  and 
when  this  fame  Jehofliaphat  afterwards  joined  with  Ahazi- 
ah,  who  did  very  wickedly  in  equiping  a  fleet  to  go  to  Tar- 
fhifli  for  commercial  purpofes,  as  a  teftimony  from  heaven 
that  a  connection  with  that  wicked  prince  was  difpleafing  to 
God,  the  fliips  were  deftroyed  by  a  tempeft,  fo  that  they 
could  not  proceed  to  Tarfliiih.  Much  more  reafon  have  we 
to  dread  the  fevereft  chaftifement,  fliould  we  be  fo  far  infatua- 
ted as  to  unite  our  deftinies  with  the  Antichrift  of  the  laft: 
times,  who  is  doomed  in  the  end  to  perifli  with  a  terrible  de- 
ftrudlion.  If  we  are  partakers  of  his  fins,  if  we  make  a  com- 
mon caufe  with  him,  (and  by  a  war  with  the  only  power 
who  has  been  able  to  oppofe  any  thing  like  an  effectual  bar- 
rier to  his  ambition,  we  do  in  fad  make  a  common  caufe  with 
him,)  we  muft;  expeft  to  be,  in  a  mealiire  at  leaft,  involved  in 
his  calamities.  Rather  ought  we  not  to  comp'  with  the  ad- 
vice given  in  the  language  of  infpiratlon.  Come  out  from  her  my 

■hP.CitilP-  ihnt  'jp  l)P  tint  -hnrt/ibprt  nf  h/>r  tint    /tm/V    //>/?/  vp     r^r/'ir'£>  nnJ 


\  i 


i; 


,p- 


iSi 


64 


1: ; 


9/ her  plagues.  That  tlicro  U  an  antichrlftian  influence  jit 
prelent  prevalent  in  the  United  Statcf.,  is  a  fad,  the  proof  of 
which  depends  upon  evidences  by  no  means  ecjuivocal.  De- 
ifm  itfelf  U  antichrilVianifm,  as  it  is  a  direct  oppofition  to 
Christ  ;  and  as  wliat  has  been  ulually  termed  deifm,  has  do- 
gencr.ited  nearly  or  quite  to  atheifm,  it  is  a  denial  both  of  the 
Father  and  the  Son. — St.  John's  defcription  of  Antichrill:.— 
The  infidelity  of  our  land  is  not  the  mere  fpcculativt:  fenti- 
ments  of  a  few  detached  ifolated  individuals.  There  cannot 
remain  adou!)t,  but  the  fyftematic  infidelity  of  the  laft  days, 
a  fyftem,  in  which  it;  votaries,  altho*  agreeing  in  nothing 
clfe,  unite  in  an  endeavor  to  extirpate  chrilHanity  out  of 
the  world,  has  found  its  way  into  our  lutherto  highly  favor- 
ed land.  ■  Of  this  we  have  had  not  only  intimations,  but  di- 
XQdi  proofs,  v/hicli  have  been  fpread  before  the  public.  This 
fyftematic  attack  may  be  probably  carrying  on  more  fecretly  at 
prefent,  but  we  have  no  reafon  to  believe  it  to  be  abandoned. 
The  bitter  fruits  of  it  are  dill  vifible  in  the  awful  prevalence 
of  irreligion  in  the  United  States,  If,  in  connection  with  this 
prevalence  of  antichriftian  fentiments  and  feelings,  a  po- 
litical connexion  fhould  be  formed  with  the  very  Antichrift 
himfelf,  as  we  fhould  in  that  event  be  more  deeply  as  well  as 
more  nationally  partakers  of  his  fins,  fo  we  fliould  have  rea- 
fon  to  dread  a  more  immediate  participation  in  his  plagues. 
To  fuch  a  ftate  of  things  the  words  of  our  text  would  be 
ftriclly  applicable.  Shall  I  not  visit  for  these  things  saith  the 
Lord  ?     Shall  not  my  soul  be  avenged  on  such  a  nation  as  this  ? 

By  way  of  application  of  thefe  remarks  to  the  prefent  fitu- 
ation  of  our  country,  I  fliall  fuggeft  a  few  things,  which  ap- 
pear to  be  duty  in  the  prefent  crifis. 

1.  Let  us  be  duly  fenfible  both  of  our  own  fins,  and  the 
fins  of  our  nation.  The  firfl  flep  both  to  individual  and  na- 
tional reformation,  is  to  be  feniible  that  it  is  necefiary.  They 
that  are  whole,  have  no  need  of  a  physician,  but  they  thj't  are  sick. 
It  is  but  too  common  for  people,  both  in  their  national  and  in- 
dividual capacity,  to  pofTefs  too  much  of  the  felf  important, 
fllf  complacent  fpirit  of  Laodicea,  by  imagining  their  fitua- 
tion  to  be  direclly  the  reverfe  of  what  it  is  in  reality.  As  it 
reipccls  their  nalionui  privileges  and  advantages,  the  XJaited 


65 


luence  ii: 
proof  ot' 
>cal.  De- 
ofition  to 
n,  h.is  dc- 
.)th  of  the 
:ichrill:. — > 
[vv.  fenti- 
re  cannot 
laft  clays, 
nothing 
ty  out  of 
ily  favor- 
s,  but  di- 
lic.  This 
fecrctly  at 
)andoned, 
irevalence 
with  this 
%^,  a  po- 
ifintichrift 
as  well  as 
have  rea- 
3  plagues. 
70u\d  be 
saith  the 
IS  this  /* 
efent  fitu- 
which  ap- 

,  and  the 
il  and  na- 
Ly.  T/yey 
't  are  sick, 
lal  and  in- 
nportant, 
ieir  fitua- 
y.  As  it 
e  Uaiteci 


States  are  in  the  habit  of  exprefllng  much  of  this  felf-com- 
placency,  by  confidering  themfelves  not  only  the  mod  free, 
but  the  moft  virtuous  and  enlightened   nation  in  the  world, 
while  they  confider  other  nations  as  flaves.    I  have  no  wifh  to 
depreciate  the  advantages  we  have  enjoyed,  or  to  under  val- 
ue the  conftitutional  privileges  of  my  country  when  fairly  en- 
joyed.    Few  nations  have  been  fo  highly  favored.     Some  of 
our  diftinguiflied  advantages  have  been  already  mentioned  in 
this  difcourfe.     No  man  can   be   more   fmcerely  attached  to 
our  political  inftitutions,  confidered  merely  as  political,  than 
myfelf,  and  no  nation  can  be  under  ftronger  obligations  to 
maintain  a  deep  lenfe  of  the  great  things  which  a  kind  and 
indulgent  providence  has  done  for  them  than  the   United 
States.     But  when  we  take  a  review  of  our  religit)us  and  mor- 
al fituation,  it  cannot   but  be  apparent   to  every  refleding 
mind,  that  it  was  not  for  our  fuperior  virtue,  or  from  our  be- 
ing more  holy  than  other  people,  but  from  confiderations  o- 
riginating  folely  within  the  divine  mind,  that  we   have   been 
thus  favored.     On  taking  fuch  a  review,  inftead  of  indulging 
this   fpirit  of  felf-complacency,  may   we  not  find  abundant 
reafon  to  exclaim  in  the  language  of  the  prophet,  y^h  sinful  na* 
tion,  a  people  laden  with  iniquity  ;  a  seed  of  evil  doer's,  chiU 
dren  that  are  corrupters,  they  have  forsaken  the  Lord,  they  hava 
have  provoked  the  Holy  One  of  Israel  unto  anger,  and  they  have 
gone  away  backward.     The  pifture  of  our  national   character, 
drawn  in  the  preceding  part  ot  this  difcourfe,  is  far  from  ex- 
aggerated.    It  might  have  been  eafy   to  have   defcantcd   at 
large  on  many  traits  which  were  but   llightly  touched,  if  at 
all  mentioned,  which  have  become  fo   common  as  to  affume 
the  character  of  national.     Taking  tliefe  things  in  connedioa 
with  our  manifold  privileges,  as   well  as  the  fignal  interpcfi- 
tion  of  providence  in  our  behalf,  we  may  juftly  cry  out,  woa 
unto  us,  becaufe  we  have  finned.     God  has  written  unto  us 
the  great  things  of  his  law  and  gofpel ;  but,  as   a  nation,  we 
have  accounted  them   as  ftrange   things,  practically  faying, 
who  is  the  Lord  that  we  Ihould  fear  him.      Ingratitude   was 
one  of  the  fins  of  Ifrael.       It  has  been  ours.       God  has  re- 
peatedly done  great  things  for  us,  for  which  we  have   been 


T>.-^ U 


66 


or  acknowledjre  e'ther  his  being  or  providence,  in   our  na- 
tional  capacity.     It  is  jiiftly  efteemed  a  very  dark  trait  in  the 
character  of  an  individual,  when,  fo  far  from  blufliing  at  the 
criminahty  of  his  conduct,   he  glories   in  his  (hame.     Is  not 
the  fame  thmgequilly  criminal  in  a  nation,  and  is  it  not  ap. 
phcable  to  this  nation  ?     Perhaps  there  is  no  feature   in  our 
conftitution  which  has  been  viewed  with  more  complacency 
and  been  the  fubjed   of  more  unqualified  praife,  both  in  this 
and  foreign  countries,than  this,  that  it  takes  no  notice  of,  and 
has    no  connection  with  religion.     This  feature,  however,  I 
cannot  but  conhuer  as  a  great  Pandora  box,  which  is  a  very 
fruitful  fource  of  all  the  evils  we  either  feel  or  fear.     So  long 
as  the  United  States,  in  their  national  capacity,  continue  to 
deny  the  Lord,  who  bought  them,  renounce  all  connexion 
with,  and  refufe  all  protection  to  religion,  there  is  little  prof, 
pect  of  any  thing  eUe,  than  that,  as  they  refufe  to  retain  God 
in  their  knowledge,  he  will  permit  them  to  reap  the  fruit  of 
their  own  doings.     Do  ye  thus  requite  the  Lord,  0  foolish  people, 
and  wnmse  ?  Is  not  he  thy  Father  that  hath  bought  thee?  Hath  he 
not  made  thee,  and  established  thee  ?  Let  us  be  deeply  fenfible  of 
our  national  fins,  of  public  and  prevailing  iniquities,  which 
may  not  Le  ftrictly  termed  national,  but  efpecially  of  private 
and  perfonal  offences,  as  the  firft  effectual  ftep  to  ref  rmation. 
2d  y.  Let  us  keep  our  eyes   fteadily  to   that  divine  hand 
which  orders  and  directs  all  events.    It  is  a  comfortable  truth 
ot  the  rariihan  religion,  that  all  things,  not  only  in  the  nat- 
ural,  but  in  the  intelleaual  and   moral  fyftem,  all   things  re- 
latjng  either  to  individuals,  or  to  the  fate   of  kingdoms  and 
nations,  are  not  only  in  the  immediate  view,  but  fubie<5l  to 
the  control,  and  under  the  direct  fuperintendance  of  provi- 
dence.     IwdUry  unto  God  most  high,  unto  God  that  performeth 
ail  things  for  me.     N,)t  fo  much  as  a  fparrow  can  fall  to   the 
ground  without  our  heavenly  Father,  and  even  the  hairs  Ox' 
our  head    are  all   numbered.      He  puts   down   one  nation 
and  raifes  up  another  ;  puts  down   one   individual  and   raif- 
es  another  ;abafes  the  mi-hty,  and  exalte    them  of  low    de- 
gree,  and  none  has  a  right  to  fay  unto  Him  what  doeR  thou. 
Mercies  and  judgments,  both    national    and  individual,  prof, 
penty  and  adverhty,  are  all  equally  from  his  hand.     But  fuch 


U'L 


n  our  na- 
:rait  in  the 
ling  at  the 
le.     Is  not 
it  not  ap. 
ire   in  our 
mplacency, 
)th  in  this 
:ice  of,  and 
however,  I 
^  is  a  very 
.     So  long 
ontinue  to 
connection 
little  prof. 
2tain  God 
he  fruit  of 
olish  people^ 
•?  Hat b  he 
fenlible  of 
ies,  w^hich 
of  private 
f  >rmation. 
vine  hand 
:able  truth 
n  the  nat- 
things  re- 
[doms  and 
fubje<5l  to 
of  provi- 
performetb 
ill  to   the 
e  hairs  oi 
ne  nation 
and   raif- 
low    de- 
left thou. 
!u;U,  prof- 
But  fuch 


67 

is  the  atheifm  which  is  natural  to  the  human  heart,  that  men 
frequently  overlook  a  providence,  both  in  mercies  and  judg- 
ments.    When  the  Lord's  hand  is  lifted  up,  they  will  not  fee  9 
when  the  Lord  calls  to  weeping  and  to  mourning,  behold  joy 
and  gladnefs.     Who  gave  Jacob  for  a  spoils  and  Israel   to  the  rob- 
bers  f     Did  not  the  Lord,  he  against  ivhom   we  have  sinned,  for 
thcv  would  not  walk  in  his  ways,  neither  were  they  obedient   unto 
his  law  ?  Therefore  he  hath  poured  upon  him  the  Jury  of  his  anger  ^ 
and  the  strength  of  battle,  and  it  hath  set  him  on  fire  round  about, 
yet  he  knew  not  ;  and  it  burned  him,  yet  he  laid  it  not  to  heart. — 
Thefe,  and  many  more,  are  the  complaints  of  the  prophets  on 
God's  antient  '^eople  for  their  ftubbornncfs  under  judgments. 
And  when  at  times  afflicT:ions  were   noticed,  and  they  gave 
fome  evidences  of  a  difpofition  to  accept  of  the  punilhment  of 
their  iins,  it  was  frequently  but  feigned,  tho'  they  fometimes 
apparently  acknowledged  that  God  was  their   rock,  and  the 
moft  High  God  their  redeemer,  their    heart  was    not  right 
with  God,  and  they  only  flattered  him  with  their  mcuth,  and 
lied  unto  him  with  their  tongue.     Equally  prone   were   they 
to  overlook,  or  to  be  unthankful    for    his    mercies.     When 
made  to  ride  on  the  high  place:  of  the  earth,  then  Jelhurun 
waxed  fat  and  kicked  ;  forgot  God,  and  lightly  efteemed  the 
rock  of  his  falvation.    Equally  prone  are  we  to  overlook  the 
giver  of  every  mercy.     Altho'  God  has  not  mterpofed  tor  us 
m  the  fame  miraculous  manner  that  he  did  for  the  Jews,  we 
have  enjoyed  many  bleflings,  to   which  the  Jews  were  ilran- 
gers.     Providence  has  fignally  interpoied   m  our  tavor.-- 
We    have  had  our   ieafon   of  profperity,   a  profperity   aU 
moft  unparalleled  in   the  annals  of  nations.      Our  How  ot 
profperity  has  abated  ;  the  tide  has  turned,  and  is  now  lenli- 
blyontheebb,  and  calamities,   more   ferious  than   any  we 
have  experienced,  appear   to  be   approaching       From  what- 
ever  lource  thefe  calamities  may  come,  it  is  IbU  the  hand  ot 
God.     In  whatever  view  we  may  confider  the  inftrumejit,  it 
is  our  duty  to  bear  the  indignation  of  the  Lord,  becaufe  we 
have  finned  againft  him.     Whatever  may  be  our  future  lot, 
either  in  a  national  or  indivi-lual  capacity,  if  our  eyes  are 
conftantly  direaed  to  the  hand  of  providence,  we  will  reap 
this  two  fold  advantage.     A  remembrance  of  the  days  ot  ad- 
verfity,  which  are  many,  and  of  the  fudden  changes  to  which 


68 

both  kingdoms  and  nations  are  expofed.will  keep  us  humble 
in  profpemy  ,  and  a  belief  that  all  the  operations  of  kZs 

^n  whn'r  "'''''  T  '"""fl^t^ly  "n-ter  the  control  of  hefv! 
en  who  fays  unto  them,  hitherto  foalt  thou  come,  and  no 

W  or'if  '  ^r"^^  'f'"^?'y '°  '^^^P  "'^  ""'"d  from  fink- 
in?,  or  defpondepcy  under  the   preffure   of  either   public  or 

TOe  calamity  He  will  make  even  the  wrath  oFmanto 
^  fdhZ'  ^1.  "'7?™«"der.of  that  wrath  he  will  reftrain. 

and  inH^fn  •"/  '^"m''  *y''"'^  "'^ ""«  hand  of  providence, 
and  mdeed  as  infuperably  connected  with  it,  we  are  called  to 
thegreatdutyof  repentance  and  reformation.     Threato>ea 

?y  bSL  off  f'""  t'^•"'^"?^^='^«•'^''  "y  ''''  nationS 
Jy  breaking  off  frc  p,  their  iniquities.      This   is  agreeable  to 

the  divine  declaration,  already  quoted  from  the  prophet  Jere 
PJiah,  which  I  Ihal  not  repeat.^   As  kingdoms  WnaS 
are,  in  their  public  capacity,  the  fubjefts  of  God's  providen- 

hi  lZTd"r''\'"'*  r''.'^'",  ''^'"^  =""«  punilhments  in 
ha'  frm^Lt""  '''i''^  ''  °"'y  ?"  external  reformation,  it 
oS  liVv  Tn  P'"'''^i'^^  means  of  prolonging  national  tr^n- 
&^;  ,K  \';"'  '^PP""^  *h*'  ">^  repentance  of  the  Nine- 

vites  at  the  preaching  of  Jonas,  was  in  general,  an  evangelical 

a  time.     Joluh  s  reformation,  tho'  fincere  on  his  part  was  in 

fhreal^r  V'^"-""'^-;'  ""  the  part  of  the  natior  But  tie 
threatened  cala^mty  did  not  overtake  them  during  his  rei^n 
nor  until  they  had  apoftatized  from   that  reformarion      W« 
a  mere  outward  reformation  to  become  generalTnour'natb^ 

trSuilhv  '  {^^^"^'!l"'^°tS-'^'-Sthning  our  na  on! 
al  tranquility.     Our  exiftence  however  is  not  merely  for  na 
onal  purp,,fes.     We  are  formed  for  immortalftv    anj  Z 

X'r"no£  w^iirh  "'"  "^iT'^  'P^'''  ^fo-  ^  'ribuS 
wnere  not  Jimg  wi  1  be  approved  but  pur  ty  of  heart.      Let  i,« 

not  the'-efore  reftin  a  mere  outward  refoLatio^  The  I  ord 
fearcheth  the jieart,  and  as  a  man  thinketh  in  hi"  heart  fok 
he.  That  reformation  m.y  in  the  iffue  becoine  eeneral  it 
mufl  in  itscommencomen/be  individual  andperfonal  i  e 
every  one  ought  to  refolve  in  his  place  to  reform  Z  "  wi 
my  harangue  as  long  as  w.  pleafe  on  the  degeneracy  ;f  ^e 
fimes.  and  the  need  of  reforatation ;  but  unlel  k  commence 


s  humble 
of  kings, 
I  of  heav- 
,  and  no 
rom  fink- 
public  or 
f  man  to 
reftrain. 
)vidence, 
called  to 

ireatened 
)ns  time- 
eable  to 
het  Jercr 

nations 
iroviden- 
ments  in 
lation,  it 
nal  tran- 
he  Nine- 
angelical 
;rted  for 
:,  was  in 

But  the 
is  reign, 
1.  Was 
•  nation, 

nation- 
'  for  na- 
and  the 
tribunal 
Let  us 
he  Lord 
ft,  fo  is 
leral,  it 
al :  i.  e. 
B.     We 

of  the 
imepce§ 


6g 

in  individual  reformation,  it  can  never  become  either  public 
or  national.     1  he  remark   has  been  already  made,   that  the 
charafter  of  a  nation  is  not  to  be  eftimated  by  that  of  a  pious 
few  who  happen  to  be  in  it.    Nor  are  we  to  take  it  from  that 
ot  a  number  of  vicious,  diforderly  people  who  are  conftantly 
tramphng  upon  the  laws.     It  is  to  the  nation  iifelf  we  are  to 
look  for  a  national  charader.     Whatever  is  countenanced  by 
public  law,  or  fupported  by  public  opinion,  may  be  confider- 
ed  as  in  part  conftituting  a  national  charafter.      It  is  in  this 
view,  and  not  becaufe  there  were    no  religious   people,  no 
pradical   and  experimental   chriftians  in  our   nation,  that  I 
confidered  we  had  loll  our  charader  as  a  chriftian   nation.— 
i3ut  It  the  charader  of  a  chrittian  nation  is  ever  to  be  regain- 
ed, how  is  it   to  be  done?     The  anfwer  is  plain.     It  muft  be 
by  the  progrefs  of   religion  among  individuals.      No  nation 
ever  aliumed  a  chriftian  charader,   immediately  on  the   firft 
propagation  of  the  gofpel  among  them.      This    muft  be  the 
work  of  time,  and  the  fruit  of  a  pretty  general  extenfion  and 
embracing  chriftianity  among   individuals.     Thofe   therere- 
fore,  who  would  wilh  to  fee  us  in  the  pcflVffion  of  a  national 
chriftian  charader,  will,  if  they  ad  a  confiftent  part,  do  ev^ry 
thing  m  their  power  to  promote  individual  reformation  and 
perlonal  religion.     Should  that  happy  time  ever  come,  when 
men  fhall  generally  know,  and  follow  on  to  know  the  Lord, 
a  national   chriftian  charader  would  foon  be  regained,  and 
our  kings  would  foon  become  nurfing  fathers,  and  our  queens 
JUirfing  mothers  to  the  church  ;  our   rulers  would  foon  kifs 
the  Son,  pr  embrace  J.sus  Christ  in   their  public   capacity, 
and  our  kingdom,  even  as  a  kingdom  or  govei-  ment  of  this 
world,  would  foon  become  the  kingdom  of  our  Lord  and  of 
his  Christ.      This  can  be   effed*  d  in  no  other  way  than  by 
the  individuals  of  which  thefe  kingdoms  are  compofed,  be- 
coming  decidedly  on  the  Lord's  fide.      Every  individual  rrf- 
ormation  is  therefore  one  ftep  towards  our  becoming  a  chrif- 
tian  nation.     Where  is  the  man,  who,  on  taking  a  view,  eith- 
er  of  his  heart  or  condud,  does  not  find  fomethingin  himfelf 
which  needs  reformation  ?     Is  there  nothing  in   our  general 
condud  which  calls  for  reformation  ?      Have   we  uniformly 
treated  the  things  of  religion  in  a  manner  fuited  to  their 


n'l; 


■M 


m 


70 

nature  and  importance,  and  our  own  deep  inten^ft  in  them  ? 
Shou'd  our  lives  be  without  reproach  ;  are  there  not  many- 
heart  evils  which  need  reformation  ?  Let  it  be  kxpt  in  mind 
that  I  am  now  addrefling  thofe  who  are  chriftians  by  profeflion. 
Is  there  nothing  in  our  converfation,  nothing  in  our  families 
which  needs  reformation  ?  Arethcrenotmany  prayerlefs  families 
in  particular  which  need  reformation  ?  Are  we  or  are  we  not 
criminally  negligent  in  the  great  duty  of  bringing  up  our  fam- 
ilies in  the  nurture  and  admonition  ot  the  Lord  ;  of  inftilling 
into  their  minds  the  principles  and  of  exciting  to  the  practice 
of  true  religion,  both  by  precept  and  example  ?  Should  a  real 
reformation  take  place  among  the  profeffing  people  of  G.>d  it 
might  do  much.  Tho*  it  did  not  immediately  change  our 
national  charader  into  that  of  a  religious  or  chriftian  nation, 
yet  God  h  .s  frequently  bleffed  whole  nations  for  his  churches 
fake.  No  doubt  there  are  many  of  God's  people  in  our  land. 
Should  thefe  univerfally  feparate  from  the  camp  of  the  ungod- 
ly, and  arife  and  trim  their  lamps,  it  might  be  the  means  of 
not  only  of  calling  down  prefent  bleflings,  and  prolonging  our 
tranquillity,  but  of  commencing  fuch  a  general  reformation  as 
might  in  due  time  become  national,  fo  that  we  might  in  the 
iffue  become  that  happy  people  whofe  God  is  the  Lord. 

4thly.  Another  duty  of  great  importance  at  all  times,but  in  a 
fpecial  manner  in  the  prefent  crifis,  is  prayer.     Do  we  wifh 
for  either  fpiritual  or  temporal  bleflings,  let  us  pray  for  them. 
Even  where  the  people  of  God  have  an  abfolute  piomife  of 
good  things  in  ftore,  they  are  direi^edto  pray  for  them.  Thus 
saitb  the  Lord  God,  I  will  yet  for  this  be  enquired  of  by  the  house  of 
Israel  to  do  it  for  them.     The  prophet  Daniel  was  a  man  greatly 
beloved  of  God,  and  alfo  mighty  in  prayer.     It  was  immedi- 
ately after  one  of  the  moft  fpiritual  and  heavenly  prayers  re- 
corded in  fcripture,  in  which  he  particularly  confeffes  his  own 
fins  and  the  fins  of  his  people  ;  at  the  fame  time  acknowledg- 
ing the  juflice  of  God  in  all  the  evils  which  had  come  upon 
them  for  their  fins  ;  that  the  Angel  Gabriel  was  fent  unto  him 
to  communicate  the  moft  important  of  all  his  prophetic  reve- 
lations :  i.  e.  that  which  related  to  the  time  ot   the  Mefliah's 
coming.     The  prayer  is  recorded  at  large  in  the  9th  chapter  ; 
the  conclufion  of  it  ver,  18, 19,  is  remarkable.     0  my  Go/?, 


hem  ? 
many 
mind 
eflion. 
.milies 
imilies 
ve  not 
X  fam- 
[lilling 
ractice 
a  real 
GoD  it 
e  our 
lation, 
urches 
r  land, 
mgod- 
jans  of 
ngour 
tion  as 
in  the 

>ut  in  a 
e  wifh 
'  them. 
Tiife  of 
.  T/jus 
bouse  of 
greatly 
nmedi- 
ers  re- 
lis  own 
iwledg- 
i  upon 
ito  him 
ic  reve- 
iefliah's 
lapter  ; 
ny  GoD^ 


71 

incline  thine  ear  and  h  'ar ;  open  t/jine  eyes  and  behold  our  desolations, 
and  the  city  which  is  cu'lled  by  thy  name  :  For  we  do  not  present  our 
supplicatiom  before  thee /or  our  righteousness,  but  for  thy  great  mer- 
cies. 0  Lord  hear,  0  Lord  forgive,  0  Lord  hearken  and  do  ;  defer 
not,  for  thine  own  sake,  O  my  God  ;  for  thy  city  and  thy  people  are 
called  by  thy  name.     Immt^diately  alter  this  fervent  fupplication, 
the  Angel  Gabriel  was  fcnc  unto  him  to  inform  him  both  of 
the  time  when  MelTuh  wis  to  come  and  of  the  nature  of  the 
work  he  was  to  do.      Ti\e  famous  prophecy  of  the  feventy 
weeks,  recorded  in  this  9th  chapter,  contains  perhaps  as  clear 
and  full  account,  both  of  the  work  the  Mefliah  was  to  do,  and 
of  the  time  of  his  appearing,  as  any  which  is  to  be  found  in 
the  old  teftament.      It  was  communicated  by  the  Angel,  im- 
mediately afler  this  moft  ferious  and  fervent  praper.     God  is 
ftill  a  prayer  hearing  God.    Altho*  we  are  not  to  expect  to  be 
made  prophets,  or  to  have  any  particular  revelation  commu- 
nicated, nor  is  this  one  of  thofe  things  for  which  we  ought 
to  pray,  yet  we  may  exped  mercies.      Mercies,  fpiritual  and 
temporal,  public  and  private,  national  and  individual ;  mercies 
to  the  church  and  commonwealth,  for  ourfelves  and  others, 
may  be  expeded  in  anfwer  to  prayer.      When  a  mercy  is  re- 
ceived in  anfwer  to  prayer,  we  will  be  the  better  prepared  to 
relifh  its  fweetnefs,  and  the  more  thankful  to  the  giver.     Or 
if  God  fliould  fee  fit  to  withhold  the  mercy  afked  for,  a  pray- 
ing frame  is  a  powerful  fupport  under  the  want  or  privation 
of  the  mercy  prayed  for.     For  example,  a  fick  man  prays  for 
health.     If  he  has  a  fpirit  of  prayer  it  will  fupport  him  under 
the  want  of  it,  and  render  him  patient  and  fubmifTive  on  a 
fick  bed,  or  even  enable  him  to  face  the  king  of  terrors,  and 
pals  out  of  time  into  eternity  with  comfort.      If  the  Judg- 
ments of  God  are  abroad  in  the  earth,  the  man  endued  with  a 
fpirit  of  prayer  finds  the  moft  comfoi  i.  in  a  feaion  of  trial. — 
Tea,  in  the  way  of  thy  judgments,  0  Lord,  have  we  waited  j or  thee  ; 
the  desire  of  our  soul  u  to  thy  name  and  the  remembrance  of  thee, 
God  is  our  refuge  and  our  sf-^ength,  a  very  present  help  in  trouble  ; 
iherejore  will  we  not  fear  though  the  earth  be  remoi    \   and  the 
mountains  be  carried  into  the  midst  of  the  sea.      J  It  ho'  the  fig  tree 
fhall  not  blossom,  neither  shall  fruit  be  in  the  vine  ;  the  labour  of  the 
olive  shall  fail  and  the  fields  shall  yield  no  meat,  the  flock  shall  be 


I 


iii 


72 

cut  off  from  the  fold ^  an^  there  shall  be  no  herd  in  the  stall,  yet  t 
ivUl  rejoice  in  the  Lord,  I  will  joy  in  ths  God  of  my  salvation. 
Whether  light  (hall  arife  out  of  darknefs,  or  whether  the  dark 
clouds  which  now  hang  over  us  fliall  continue  to  thicken  un- 
til they  burft  in  fome  dreadful  calamity  upon  our  nation,  the 
man  of  prayer  is  beft  prepared  for  either  continued  trials  or 
deliverance.  Let  us  pray  for  ourfelves,  pray  for  the  church 
and  nation,  as  for  other  mercies  fo  for  this  efpecially,  that  we 
may  be  that  happy  people  whofe  Gv>d  is  the  Lord. 

5thly.  As  there  are  important  duties  which  we  owe  to  GoDy 
fo  there  are  duties  which  we  owe  to  our  focial  conne6lions,the 
faithful  difcharge  of  which  may  contribute  to  the  regaining 
of  our  chriftian  character  as  a  nation.  Of  thefe  the  duties  we 
owe  to  a  rifing  generation  ought  not  to  be  forgotten.  Youth 
are  the  beft  hope  of  their  parents,  the  church,  and  the  nation. 
Their  morals  and  principles  are  of  the  greatell  importance  to 
fociety.  It  has  been  a  part  of  the  plan  of  the  infidel  and  the 
.rreligious  of  every  defcription,  to  fpare  no  pains  and  ufe  ev- 
ery art  to  corrupt  th"m  ;  the  greater  diligence  Ihould  there* 
fore  be  ufed  to  counterad  the  defigns  of  the  adverfary.  But 
I  muft  pafs  this  and  ohfeive  that  there  are  duties  which  we 
owe  to  civil  fociety,  with  fome  brief  remarks  upon  which  I 
fliall  clofe.  And  as  it  is  not  my  intention  to  enlarge,  I  fhall 
barely  notice  this  one,  which  is  of  great  importance,  and  that 
is  in  our  exercife  of  the  right  of  fuffrage,  to  fill  important 
places  of  public  truft,  to  pay  particular  attention  to  the  relig- 
ious and  moral,  as  well  as  the  political  qualifications  of  can^ 
didates  :  i.  e.  that  we  endeavor  to  fele6t  not  only  men  of 
wifdom  and  talents,  but  men  of  virtue  and  religion,  at  ieafl 
men  who  are  known  to  be  believers  in  revelation,  and  friend- 
ly to  gv)fpel  order  snd  chriftian  inftitutions,  and  men  whofe 
morals  are  not  a  public  difgrace  to  the  chriftian  character. — 
The  right  of  fuffrage,  to  the  extent  in  which  it  is  enjoyed  in 
this  country, is  a  privlie.!;e  with  which  no  other  nation  is  fa- 
vored. The  value  of  the  privilege  depends  very  much  on 
the  manner  in  which  it ' ;  fxercifed.  By  a  wife  and  confcien- 
tious  exercife  of  this  right,  much  might  be  done  to  ward  off 
the  ill  effects  of  tha  irrligious  feature  in  our  national  gov- 
ernment, which   has  given  rife  to  a  confiderable  portion  oi 


0,4  . 


73 

xlie  remarks  contained  in  the  preceding  ditcouries.  No  doub* 
this  feature  in  our  government  has  paved  the  way  for  the 
introduction  of  men  into  our  national  councils,  who  are  op- 
pofed  to  every  form  and  appearance  of  chriftianity.  In  this 
the  children  of  this  world  have  proved  themfelves  to  be  wifer 
than  the  children  of  light.  The  dodrine  of  the  entire  fepa- 
ration  of  government  from  religion,  in  the  e;xtent  to  which 
it  is  carried,  is  an  infidel  do6lrine.  But  means  have  been 
found,  in.  fome  way,  to  render  it  popular  with  many  of  the 
profefibrs  of  chriflianity.  They  have  progrefled  ftill  farther, 
and  caufed  it  to  be  believed,  that  a  refpecl  for  religion,  or  even 
a  fpeculative  belief  in  revelation,  is  neither  a  necefl'ary  or  a 
very  important  qualification  of  a  ruler  in  a  chriftian  country. 
This  impreflion  is  peculiarly  favourable  to  the  caufe  of  infidel- 
ity, and  has  no  doubt  been  much  promoted  by  the  arts  and 
labours  of  men  of  that  defcription.  It  has  already  been  ob- 
ferved  that  an  infidel,  as  such,  can  be  viewed  in  no  other  light 
than  as  an  enemy  to  the  chriftian  religion  in  every  form  of  it. 
By  engrofling  as  much  power  as  poflible  into  their  own  hands^ 
they  are  placed  in  a~  fituation  to  exert  a  more  powerful  and 
more  fatal  influence  to  injure  that  religion  which  they  take 
every  opportunity  to  render  contemptible.  It  is  impofllble 
that  it  Ihould  be  otherwife,  for  what  can  be  more  oppofij:e 
than  light  and  darknefs  ?  What  fecurity  can  we  have  of  even 
the  political  integrity  of  a  man.  without  religion  and  without 
morals  ?  Do  we  depend  upon  the  fanctity  of  an  oath  as  an 
important  bond  of  fociety  ?  An  oath  can  have  no  other  foun- 
dation than  religion.  Deftroy  all  impreflions  of  religious  ob- 
ligation, and  oaths  become  mere  words  of  courfe.  There  can. 
be  noihing  binding  in  them  ;  one  important  cement  of  fociety 
is  gone,  and  no  other  motives  to  aclion  are  left  than  thofe  of 
ambition,  convenience,  or  felf  intereft.  All  the  power  which 
remains  with  the  people  to  remedy  this  evil,  is  in  the  proper  ufe 
of  their  right  of  election.  Should  that  be  executed  wifely, 
and  without  either  improper  bias  or  corruption,  many  evils 
which  we  have  afon  to  fear,  might  be  avoided.  But,  on 
the  other  hand,  .eplorable  is  the  fituation  of  a  nation,  when 
on  each  fide  walk  the  wicked,  and  the  vileft  of  men  are  exalt- 

K 


I 


74 

direa:  paffport  to  promotion.  Thofe,  who  by  an  imprudent 
exercife  of  this  privilege,  lend  their  aid  to  elevate  fuch  men 
do  thereby  contribute,  by  the  moft  efFeaual  mean  in  their 
power,  to  the  defedion  of  the  times,  which  mull  ripen  us 
more  and  more  for  the  chaftifements  of  heaven.  The  God  of 
Israel,  said  the  Rock  of  Israel,  spake  unto  me— He  that  ruleth  over 
men  must  bejust^  ruling  in  the  fear  of  God, 

To  conclude—Let  us  be  real  chriftians.  Whatever  may  be 
the  afpecTs  of  providence  towards  our  nation,  our  time  in  the 
world  will  bo  but  fhort.  Let  us  therefore  look  beyond  all  the 
tranfitory  things  of  time,  to  that  Iblemn  hour  when  we  muft 
all  appear  before  the  judgment  feat  of  Christ.  Neither  our 
natural  relations,  or  political  connexions,  are  any  thing  elfe 
than  monientary,  compared  with  futurity.  But  a  vaft  eter- 
nity awaits  us,  and  we  muft  foon  enter  on  that  untried  ftate. 
Let  us  therefore  extend  our  views  to  eternal  things,  and  in 
the  event  of  fevere  trials,  either  national  or  individual,  be- 
take ourfelves  to  thofe  chambers  of  fecurity,  which  God  has 
prepared  as  a  hiding  place  for  all  who  put  their  truft  in  him, 
and  to  which  he  invites  them,  faying.  Come  my  people,  enter  thou 
into  thy  chambers,  and  shut  thy  doors  about  thee  ;  hide  thyself  as  it 
were  for  a  little  moment,  until  the  indignation  be  overpast-^For  be- 
hold the  Lord  Cometh  out  of  hi  f  place  to  punish  the  inhabitants  of  the 
earth  for  ir;  :ir  iniquities  :  The  earth  also  shall  disclose  her  bloody 
and  shall  no  more  cover  her  slain* 


ii   •' 


I 


»* 


ft"  Ii 


tl^' 


iprudent 
ich  men, 
in  their 
ripen  us 

be  God  of 
(leth  ovet 

'  may  be 
nein  the 
d  all  the 
we  muft 
ther  our 
bing  elfe 
ift  eter- 
ed  ftate. 
,  and  in 
ual,  be- 
GoD  has 
in  him, 
?nfer  thou 
nelf  as  it 
-^For  be- 
ntsofthe 
ler  bioody 


I 


